For the sixth time ever and just the third time since the draft was shortened to seven rounds, Ohio State hit double digits in the 2020 NFL draft.
Ten total Buckeyes were selected in this week’s NFL draft, marking the first time Ohio State had 10 or more players since 2016, when the Buckeyes had 12 draftees. Ohio State tied with Michigan for the second-most picks in this year’s draft, behind only LSU, who had 14.
Chase Young (Washington Redskins, No. 2 overall), Jeff Okudah (Detroit Lions, No. 3 overall) and Damon Arnette (Las Vegas Raiders, No. 19 overall) were all selected in the first round of the draft, making Ohio State one of just three schools that had at least three first-round picks this year. Only LSU (five, including former Ohio State quarterback Joe Burrow) and Alabama (four) had more.
This year’s draft was the first since 2017 (Marshon Lattimore, Malik Hooker, Gareon Conley) in which Ohio State had three first-round picks, but the fifth consecutive draft and sixth in the last seven years in which the Buckeyes have had at least two first-round picks. Ohio State also now stands alone at the top with a record 84 all-time first-round picks, two more than USC, who was tied for the all-time lead entering this year’s draft.
Seven of Ohio State’s 10 draft picks this year came in the first three rounds, as J.K. Dobbins (Baltimore Ravens, No. 55 overall) was selected in the second round while DaVon Hamilton (Jacksonville Jaguars, No. 73 overall), Jonah Jackson (Detroit Lions, No. 75 overall) and Malik Harrison (Baltimore Ravens, No. 98 overall) were picked in the third round.
It’s the first time the Buckeyes had at least seven players selected in the first two days of the draft since 2016, when they had 10 players selected in the top 100 picks. LSU, which had 10 picks in the first three rounds, and Alabama, whose nine picks all came in the first three rounds, were the only schools that had more selections than Ohio State in the top 100; only eight total schools had seven players selected in the entire draft.
| School | Total Picks | First-Round Picks | Top-100 Picks |
|---|---|---|---|
| LSU | 14 | 5 | 10 |
| OHIO STATE | 10 | 3 | 7 |
| MICHIGAN | 10 | 1 | 2 |
| ALABAMA | 9 | 4 | 9 |
| CLEMSON | 7 | 2 | 4 |
| GEORGIA | 7 | 2 | 3 |
| FLORIDA | 7 | 1 | 4 |
| UTAH | 7 | 0 | 3 |
Ohio State has now had at least seven players selected in five consecutive NFL drafts, the second-longest streak among all schools behind only Alabama.
The selections of Jordan Fuller in the sixth round (Los Angeles Rams, No. 199 overall) and K.J. Hill (Los Angeles Chargers, No. 220 overall) and Jashon Cornell (Detroit Lions, No. 235 overall) in the seventh round brought Ohio State’s total picks for this year to 10, the sixth-most total NFL draft picks in school history.
| Year | Total Picks | Rounds |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 14 | 7 |
| 1971 | 13 | 17 |
| 1975 | 13 | 17 |
| 2016 | 12 | 4 |
| 1976 | 11 | 17 |
| 2020 | 10 | 7 |
Cumulatively, Ohio State has now had 45 NFL draft picks in the past five years, also the second-most among all schools in the past five years behind only Alabama (48).
In addition to the 10 who were drafted, five other players from last year’s Ohio State roster have also agreed to deals with NFL teams as undrafted free agents: Rashod Berry (New England Patriots), Branden Bowen (Carolina Panthers), Austin Mack (New York Giants), Liam McCullough (Las Vegas Raiders) and Binjimen Victor (New York Giants). That makes at least 15 members of the 2019 Buckeyes – which could still grow to 16 if Robert Landers also signs as an undrafted free agent – who will have a chance to play in the NFL in 2020.
Ohio State has produced more talent for the NFL over the past half-decade than almost any other school, and with a roster full of potential future draft picks like Justin Fields, Chris Olave, Wyatt Davis, Josh Myers, Thayer Munford, Shaun Wade and Pete Werner – just to name a few – that trend looks like it should continue for years to come.
