The third day of the NFL Draft consists of the flotsam and jetsam that makes up the bulk of what keeps the NFL healthy. Practice squad all-stars, journeymen backups, and sometimes, the occasional star that evaluators totally whiffed on.
Buckeye players from the first three rounds have typically (shockingly!) had more success in the NFL than their later-round brethren, but in the last 15 years there have been a handful of notable Ohio State players from the dark recesses of the bottom of the NFL Draft who have gone on to make waves in the league.
Will Allen, 111th pick of the 2004 NFL Draft
Will Allen has had the quintessential journeyman career. Drafted in 2004 by the Buccaneers, the safety spent six seasons with them before having a hot and heavy on again, off again relationship with the Steelers, generally as a fill-in and backup.
No one would make the claim that Allen is worthy of any real accolades in the NFL (his greatest recognition was making the alternate list for the Pro Bowl in 2009 for special teams), especially given the fact that the guy has played in 176 games and started in less than a third of them. But he's had a solid, productive career, and though he's likely finished in the league at 33, he can hold his head high with what he's been able to accomplish.
Brian Hartline, 108th pick of the 2009 NFL Draft
I don't think that anyone expected Brian Hartline to turn out to be one of the best Ohio State draft picks of the last decade or so. A decent college wide receiver, he occasionally clashed with teammates and was not super high on the list of favorite players for most Buckeye fans.
But that's why there are more than just a few rounds, because a guy who racked up all of 479 yards his senior season went on to post 1000 yards in receptions in back to back years in 2012 and 2013 with the Dolphins. He's fallen off a bit in the last two seasons, and is currently imprisoned in a factory of sadness, but if you had told me in 2008 that Brian Hartline would go on to have even a fraction of this success, I would've bopped you over the head Three Stooges-style.
Kurt Coleman, 244th pick of the 2010 NFL Draft
By far the longest shot on this list, the safety had a decent few years with the Philadelphia Eagles before bouncing around the NFL for a while and landing with the Carolina Panthers last year, where he had by far his best season.
Leading the NFC in interceptions with seven and helping to lead the Panther defense to the Super Bowl, Coleman has been earning his gigantic base salary of... uh, $1.3 million. If he can duplicate his numbers and play from last season, the 27 year old might be in for a huge payday.
Corey Linsley, 161st pick of the 2014 NFL Draft
Linsley's draft analysis in 2014 read a little something like this:
Going to the NFL, Linsley has tools, physical ability and experience that will make him attractive to teams, but he has a lot of work to do and will need a decent amount of time to develop.
Welp! Sorry Corey, you get zero time to develop! When Green Bay drafted the offensive lineman in 2014, they expected him to have a season or two to evolve under their system. Instead, their starting center got hurt in the preseason and (frequent Dubcast guest) Linsley was forced into a starting role from day one, and in this capacity he performed brilliantly. He took every snap in 2014 and made the All-Rookie team. Now Linsley is considered the bedrock of an offensive line protecting the NFLs best quarterback, and he might be the best Buckeye in the NFL today.
Josh Perry just got drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the 4th round, and while the jury is out as to whether he will have the same kind of impact that a Kurt Coleman or a Corey Linsley has had, we'll be watching and rooting for him and the other Buckeyes drafted today.
