When football players finally hear their names called during the NFL Draft, the moment represents a lifetime of hard work coming together for a massive payday. As long as those draftees put pen to paper and agree to terms with their new employers, anyways.
Franchises, agents, families and the players themselves all have different opinions of their worth to some degree based on factors like position, age, speed, athleticism and whatever else you can spin up. In the case of Ohio State's 2017 NFL Draft class, cornerbacks Marshon Lattimore and Gareon Conley plus center Pat Elflein have not agreed to terms with their new teams. This doesn't mean that they did not participate in rookie camp or OTAs, however. More on that in a bit.
Safety Malik Hooker, wide receivers Curtis Samuel and Noah Brown and linebacker Raekwon McMillan are all official parts of their new franchises. Additionally, Craig Fada, Corey Smith, Cameron Johnston and Dontre Wilson inked as free agents with teams, though the latter is apparently facing an issue with the Los Angeles Chargers due to health concerns.
It isn't normal for picks to take a while to say yes to a deal presented by their new teams. For example, Joey Bosa missed four games of the 2016 season because of a contract dispute with the Chargers. Quarterback Eli Manning simply refused to sign with the franchise after it drafted him first overall in 2004, forcing a trade to the New York Giants.
The NFL's new collective bargaining agreement was signed in 2011 setting a rookie wage scale and mostly taking the guess work out of how much each player is in line to earn from their first contract based on draft position.
With that in mind and the fact that three of Ohio State's seven draft picks have yet to sign their rookie deals, we thought it made sense to look back at how long the other draft picks in the Urban Meyer era took to do the same. We will start with the 2017 class. The 2017 NFL Draft closed up shop on April 29, nearly a month ago.
2017
Marshon Lattimore — Cornerback
Pick: 11th overall by the New Orleans Saints
Contract Status: Remains Unsigned
Lattimore was the first Buckeye off the board last month and isn't yet officially a New Orleans Saint, at least from a rookie contract standpoint.
He took part in rookie camp a few weeks ago, however, likely signing some sort of an agreement with the franchise that lasted through the weekend those workouts took place. Lattimore was the first player at his position to get drafted and with the premium the league puts on cornerbacks, is in line for a hefty payday.
For reference, Jalen Ramsey signed a four-year, $23.3 million deal last year after the Jacksonville Jaguars took him fifth overall.
Malik Hooker — Safety
Pick: 15th overall by the Indianapolis Colts
Contract Status: Signed on May 18, 21 days after selection
Hooker's deal with the Colts is for four years and a projected $12.6 million. It also includes more than a $7 million signing bonus.
The rate and years are pretty structured for first-round picks after the new collective bargaining agreement the league implemented in 2011. Hooker's deal is projected to be worth a bit more than the top safety in last year's class, though. Keanu Neal signed a four-year, $10.7 million contract with the Atlanta Falcons, who picked him 17th overall.
Gareon Conley — Cornerback
Pick: 24th overall by the Oakland Raiders
Contract Status: Remains Unsigned
Like Lattimore, another corner, Conley is not an official member of his new club yet. But there really isn't a need to panic — yet.
Does Conley remaining unsigned have to do with his ongoing legal case involving rape allegations? Possibly, but the Raiders still chose to make him their first-round pick.
Curtis Samuel — Wide Receiver
Pick: 40th overall by the Carolina Panthers
Contract Status: Signed on May 5, a week after selection
Samuel hardly wasted any time signing on with the Panthers, the first Buckeye draft pick in the 2017 class to do so. His contract is for four years and worth a projected $6.4 million.
Raekwon McMillan — Linebacker
Pick: 54th overall by the Miami Dolphins
Contract Status: Signed on May 5, a week after selection
Like Samuel before him, McMillan and his agent acted quickly for him to officially become a Dolphin. His deal is worth a projected $4.7 million over four years and carries with it a $1.55 million signing bonus.
Pat Elflein — Center
Pick: 70th overall by the Minnesota Vikings
Contract Status: Remains Unsigned
The third and final member of Ohio State's 2017 class yet to sign his rookie deal, Elflein took part in rookie minicamp a few weeks ago. The Vikings said they will start with him at center and go from there, a team decimated by injuries up front a season ago.
The Chargers drafted center Max Tuerk in the third round in 2016. He signed a four-year, $3.5 million contract with the franchise, to get an idea on how Elflein's deal might look.
Noah Brown — Wide Receiver
Pick: 239th overall by the Dallas Cowboys
Contract Status: Signed on May 12, nearly two weeks after selection
Brown was one of the final picks in the entire draft, a Saturday selection by the Cowboys who had running back Ezekiel Elliott in their ears to take him. He signed a four-year contract projected to be worth $2.47 million.
2016
Joey Bosa — Defensive End
Pick: 3rd overall by the San Diego Chargers
Contract Details: Signed on Aug. 29, 2016, three games into the 2016 preseason
Bosa didn't make his NFL debut until Oct. 9 in Oakland against the Raiders, the fifth game of the regular season. A lengthy contract dispute preceded a hamstring injury to keep him sidelined but once healthy, he destroyed opposing offenses. Bosa racked up 10.5 sacks in 12 games and was named the NFL's Defensive Rookie of the Year.
His contract dispute stemmed from offset language presented by the Chargers regarding disbursement of his signing bonus. He missed training camp as a result but eventually signed a four-year, $25.8 million contract with a $17 million signing bonus. Bosa is the longest Ohio State draft pick under Meyer to hold out for his rookie deal.
Ezekiel Elliott — Running Back
Pick: 4th overall by the Dallas Cowboys
Contract Details: Signed on May 18, 2016, 20 days after selection
Elliott inked his four-year, $24.9 million deal (with a $16.3 million signing bonus) not long after the Cowboys made him the first running back taken in the 2016 NFL Draft. It came the week before organized team activities opened in Dallas, a smart move for the Cowboys considering Elliott went on to lead the league in rushing as a rookie.
Eli Apple — Cornerback
Pick: 10th overall by the New York Giants
Contract Details: Signed on May 6, 2016, eight days after selection
The second Buckeye in this draft class to sign his rookie deal, Apple's first NFL contract is worth $15.1 million over four years. Apple was the second cornerback taken in that year's draft.
Taylor Decker — Offensive Tackle
Pick: 16th overall by the Detroit Lions
Contract Details: Signed on May 6, 2016, eight days after selection
Details of Decker's first NFL contract didn't surface until four days after the club announced they signed him but he is about to enter the second year of a four-year, $10.9 million deal. He was the fourth player at his position drafted.
Darron Lee — Linebacker
Pick: 20th overall by the New York Jets
Contract Details: Signed on July 27, 2016, nearly three months after selection
Unlike Bosa, Lee elected to attend the Jets offseason organized team activities even though he had not yet signed a contract. That contract is worth $10.2 million over four years and Lee received a $5.6 million signing bonus after becoming the second outside linebacker selected in that draft.
via Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports.
Michael Thomas — Wide Receiver
Pick: 47th overall by the New Orleans Saints
Contract Details: Signed on May 10, 2016, 11 days after selection
Thomas grew into one of the steals of the draft last season despite being a second-round pick by the pass-happy Saints. He didn't wait around long to sign with his new team either, making it official with a four-year, $5.1 million deal 11 days after being drafted.
Vonn Bell — Safety
Pick: 61st overall by the New Orleans Saints
Contract Details: Signed on May 10, 2016, 11 days after selection
Bell's first NFL deal is worth $3.9 million over the course of four years. The Saints went back to the Ohio State well not long after taking Thomas, moving up to nab Bell. He worked his way into the nickel package during his rookie year.
Adolphus Washington — Defensive Tackle
Pick: 80th overall by the Buffalo Bills
Contract Details: Signed on May 17, 2016, 18 days after selection
Washington and his agent waited longer than Bell and Thomas did to ink his first professional contract, but just a week more. It is worth $3.189 million over four years.
Braxton Miller — Wide Receiver
Pick: 85th overall by the Houston Texans
Contract Details: Signed on May 26, 2016, 27 days after selection
Houston put Miller on Injured Reserve in early December with a bruised and sprained shoulder, ending his rookie campaign with just 15 catches for 99 yards and a touchdown. Miller's rookie deal is worth $3.1 million over the course of four years, with a signing bonus around $709,000.
Nick Vannett — Tight End
Pick: 94th overall by the Seattle Seahawks
Contract Details: Signed on May 6, 2016, nine days after selection
Vannett was the first member of this Ohio State draft class to sign his rookie contract, doing so about 20 minutes before Apple. The four-year deal is worth $3.05 million.
Joshua Perry — Linebacker
Pick: 102nd overall by the San Diego Chargers
Contract Details: Signed on May 9, 2016, almost two weeks after selection
Unlike his teammate Bosa, Perry didn't hold out for offset language and joined the Chargers not long after they drafted him. His rookie contract is a four-year, $2.9 million deal.
Cardale Jones — Quarterback
Pick: 139th overall by the Buffalo Bills
Contract Details: Signed on June 7, 38 days after selection
Jones was the third-to-last member of this draft class to sign his rookie deal, doing so after participating in organized team activities with the Bills. His contract is worth $2.7 million over four years with a signing bonus worth $383,393.
2015
Devin Smith — Wide Receiver
Pick: 37th overall by the New York Jets
Contract Details: Signed on May 8, 2015, a week after selection
Smith kicked off Ohio State's brief run of picks in the 2015 NFL Draft when the Jets selected him on Friday of draft weekend. Though his deal was worth $5.8 million over four years, the club waived him on Monday after he suffered his second torn ACL in as many seasons. Smith can return to the franchise on Injured Reserve if he is not claimed by another team.
Jeff Heuerman — Tight End
Pick: 92th overall by the Denver Broncos
Contract Details: Signed on June 4, 2015, a little more than a month after selection
Heuerman tore his ACL in rookie camp eight days after John Elway and the Broncos took him in the third round two years ago. It pushed back contract talks for the time being but the tight end finally inked his 4-year, $2.8 million deal about a month after being drafted. He caught nine passes for 141 yards last season.
Doran Grant — Cornerback
Pick: 121st overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers
Contract Details: Signed on May 11, 2015, nine days after selection
Grant is no longer with the Steelers, having been waived last fall. He then flirted with the New York Giants practice squad and now with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Grant initially signed a four-year, $2.76 million contract with the Steelers, shortly after Pittsburgh drafted him.
Michael Bennett — Defensive Tackle
Pick: 180th overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars
Contract Details: Signed on May 15, 2015, nearly two weeks after selection
Bennett is another Buckeye in this draft class that has dealt with injuries early in his pro career. He has only played in 10 games over two seasons after signing a four-year contract worth $2.4 million with the Jaguars.
Evan Spencer — Wide Receiver
Pick: 187th overall by the Washington Redskins
Contract Details: Signed on May 11, 2015, nine days after selection
Spencer is no longer in the league, having retired last fall after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers waived him from their practice squad. The Redskins did the same thing a year earlier, not long into Spencer's four-year, $2.4 million deal.
2014
Ryan Shazier — Linebacker
Pick: 15th overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers
Contract Details: Signed on June 5, 2014, almost a month after selection
Shazier participated in Steelers organized activities and rookie camp before signing his deal, a four-year contract worth $9.5 million. The third linebacker taken in the 2014 draft, Shazier is headed to the final year of that contract this fall but Pittsburgh exercised their fifth-year option on the linebacker in place for all first-round picks under the new CBA. With that, he is in line to make $8.7 million as a Steeler in 2018.
via James Lang-USA TODAY Sports.
Bradley Roby — Cornerback
Pick: 31st overall by the Denver Broncos
Contract Details: Signed on June 10, 2014, around a month after selection
The only player in this story to play in a Super Bowl (Heuerman was in Injured Reserve when the Broncos beat Carolina two years ago), Roby snuck into the bottom of the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft. He signed a four-year, $6.9 million deal with Denver, who recently exercised his fifth-year option for 2018. Roby is set to earn $8.5 million that season as a result.
Carlos Hyde — Running Back
Pick: 57th overall by the San Francisco 49ers
Contract Details: Signed on May 15, 2014, short of a week after selection
Hyde didn't sit around long before getting under contract with the 49ers. His four-year deal is worth $3.68 million, of which he is entering the final year.
Jack Mewhort — Offensive Lineman
Pick: 59th overall by the Indianapolis Colts
Contract Details: Signed on May 16, 2014, a week after selection
Like Hyde before him, Mewhort acted quickly to sign with Indianapolis. He is also in the final year of a four-year, $3.57 million contract.
Corey Linsley — Center
Pick: 161st overall by the Green Bay Packers
Contract Details: Signed on May 15, 2014, short of a week after selection
The recurring theme of not wasting time to sign contracts in this class continues with Linsley. He is in the final season of a four-year, $2.4 million deal with the Packers and currently rehabbing from ankle surgery.
Christian Bryant — Safety
Pick: 241st overall by the St. Louis Rams
Contract Details: Signed on June 23, 2014, more than a month after selection
Bryant has been on practice squads for the Rams, Cardinals and Giants in his NFL career. That all came after he inked a four-year, $2.2 million contract with the Rams, who drafted him late in 2014.
2013
Johnathan Hankins — Defensive Tackle
Pick: 49th overall by the New York Giants
Contract Details: Signed on May 10, 2013, two weeks after selection
Hankins kicked off the smallest Ohio State draft class under Meyer. His four-year, $4.03 million rookie deal expired after last season and while he remained a free agent for a while, Hankins left New York and signed a four-year, $28 million deal with the Indianapolis Colts last month.
John Simon — Defensive End
Pick: 129th overall by the Baltimore Ravens
Contract Details: Signed May 21, 2013, more than three weeks after selection
Simon is now on his third team, having signed a three-year, $13.5 million contract with Indianapolis this offseason. He initially inked a four-year, $2.4 million deal as a rookie with the Ravens, who then waived him in August 2014. He went to Houston and played under separate one-year contracts before moving to Indy.
Reid Fragel — Offensive Tackle
Pick: 240th overall by the Cincinnati Bengals
Contract Details: Signed on May 9, 2013, 12 days after selection
Like Simon, Fragel has bounced around in his NFL career. He now plays for the Minnesota Vikings, signing a two-year deal in early January. Fragel has also spent time in Kansas City, Tampa Bay, Atlanta, Cleveland and Cincinnati. Initially, the Bengals signed him to a four-year, $2.2 million contract.
As shown by the other draft picks in Urban Meyer's tenure at Ohio State, there really isn't a need to panic about Marshon Lattimore, Gareon Conley and Pat Elflein remaining unsigned. At least not yet.
Since Elflein was a third-round pick, it is a little surprising that he hasn't inked his rookie contract yet. Deals stemming from that point in the draft are pretty straightforward.
In the scope of the cornerbacks, though, the discussion changes some. Both first-round picks, Lattimore and Conley are ensured to make good money in their first NFL contracts. As long as they don't run into offset language issues like Joey Bosa did last summer, though, they should still suit up on opening day this season.
