A Rundown of Ohio State Buckeyes Set to Begin Their Professional Football Careers

By Eric Seger on April 29, 2017 at 8:42 pm
Ohio State sees seven more players drafted, two others sign in free agency.
via Ohio State FB/Twitter
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Ohio State has had 19 players selected in the NFL Draft over the last two years. That is more than any other college football program in that span.

After a historic weekend in Chicago last year where 12 Buckeyes were selected — all in the first four rounds — seven more heard their names called over the last three days. Additionally, Tyvis Powell, Jalin Marshall and Chase Farris all signed as free agents last April while Dontre Wilson and Cameron Johnston did the same on Saturday. Craig Fada earned an invitation to Houston Texans rookie minicamp and on Sunday, Corey Smith signed with the Cincinnati Bengals.

So, in all, 26 Buckeyes made it to greatest football league in the world in one form or another over the last two years. Urban Meyer's teams have produced 33 draft picks over the last five seasons.

Here are some quick details on where each Buckeye landed this weekend.

MARSON LATTIMORE, CORNERBACK

  • Picked 11th overall by the New Orleans Saints on Thursday night, joining former teammates Vonn Bell and Michael Thomas in the Big Easy
  • Along with Gareon Conley (we'll get to him in a second) is the fourth Ohio State cornerback taken in the first round over the last four years.
  • Made friends quickly in his new home with some shade thrown at LSU.

MALIK HOOKER, SAFETY

GAREON CONLEY, CORNERBACK 

  • Oakland took the cornerback 24th overall on Thursday night
  • Still became a first-round pick despite a potential lawsuit hanging over his head after a rape accusation. Conley has not been charged or arrested and took a polygraph test in an attempt to further prove his innocence
  • Looks pretty slick in the black and silver:

CURTIS SAMUEL, WIDE RECEIVER

RAEKWON MCMILLAN, LINEBACKER

  • Came off the board 54th overall to the Miami Dolphins on Friday, the fourth Ohio State defender selected this year.
  • Roasted by Ohio State Director of Player Personnel Mark Pantoni on Twitter — think McMillan should wear those cargo shorts out on South Beach? We do.

PAT ELFLEIN, CENTER 

NOAH BROWN, WIDE RECEIVER

  • The last Buckeye taken in the 2017 NFL Draft, Brown went in the seventh round (239th overall) to the Dallas Cowboys. Zeke had his back:
  • Brown and Samuel gives Zach Smith two more receivers drafted from his position group. He had two last year (Mike Thomas and Braxton Miller) and two in 2015 (Devin Smith and Evan Spencer)
  • Brown shocked many when he decided to turn pro after just one year as a starter and three years in college. But he felt like he could make it in the NFL and now has his chance:

CAMERON JOHNSTON, PUNTER

DONTRE WILSON, WIDE RECEIVER

CRAIG FADA, LINEBACKER

  • Received a rookie minicamp invitation from the Houston Texans
  • Houston's defensive coordinator is former Ohio State assistant Mike Vrabel

COREY SMITH, WIDE RECEIVER

  • Became the lone Buckeye in the 2017 draft class (and the first in a very long time) to either get selected by or sign with one of the two Ohio professional football teams. Smith signed as an undrafted free agent with the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday
  • Like Fada, Wilson and Johnston, has his NFL shot
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