Ohio State’s 2025 NFL draft prospects are carrying plenty of momentum into the NFL Scouting Combine.
While it’s uncertain how much each of Ohio State’s 15 combine invitees – the most of any school this year – will participate in on-field workouts this week in Indianapolis, given that they’ve had only a month to prepare for the combine after winning the national championship, nothing they do in Indianapolis will demonstrate their NFL potential more than the plays they made as Buckeyes to help lead Ohio State to a title this past season.
On the biggest stage in college football, just about all of Ohio State’s draft prospects shined while playing four of the year’s best teams – Tennessee, Oregon, Texas and Notre Dame – in the College Football Playoff. Aside from offensive linemen Josh Simmons and Seth McLaughlin, who were both sidelined for the CFP due to season-ending injuries, one could make the case that all of Ohio State’s draft-bound starters improved their draft stock with their performance in the playoff.
So that’s what we’ll do here. As Ohio State’s top 15 draft prospects make their way to Indianapolis for the combine, where prospects will participate in media interviews Wednesday-Saturday and on-field workouts Thursday-Sunday, we take a look back at how each of Ohio State’s draft-bound starters in the CFP bolstered their draft profiles over the Buckeyes’ four-game run to a title, starting with the players who elevated their stock the most.
| Players | Media Interviews | On-Field Workouts |
|---|---|---|
| DE Jack Sawyer, DE JT Tuimoloau, DT Ty Hamilton, DT Tyleik Williams, LB Cody Simon | Wednesday (8-11 a.m.) | Thursday (3-8 p.m.) |
| CB Denzel Burke, CB Jordan Hancock, S Lathan Ransom | Thursday (9 a.m.-Noon) | Friday (3-9 p.m.) |
| QB Will Howard, WR Emeka Egbuka, RB TreVeyon Henderson, RB Quinshon Judkins | Friday (8-11 a.m.) | Saturday (1-9 p.m.) |
| OL Donovan Jackson, C Seth McLaughlin, OT Josh Simmons | Saturday (8-11 a.m.) | Sunday (1-5 p.m.) |
| Media interview coverage on Eleven Warriors, on-field workouts televised by NFL Network | ||
OT/G Donovan Jackson
No player on any team did more to help his draft stock in this year’s CFP than Jackson, who improved his chances of being a first-round pick exponentially with his dominant play at left tackle throughout Ohio State’s four-game playoff run.
Although he had played guard for his entire Ohio State career until he made a midseason switch to left tackle following Simmons’ season-ending injury, Jackson looked like a seasoned veteran on the edge in the playoff, allowing zero sacks while facing a string of elite pass-rushers that included Tennessee’s James Pearce Jr. (a projected first-round pick), Oregon’s Jordan Burch and Matayo Uiagalelei and Texas’ Colin Simmons.
Jackson still likely projects to play guard in the NFL, but there’s a real chance he could get drafted to play tackle now. Regardless of which position he ultimately plays as a rookie, the team who drafts him can do so knowing he has the versatility to play both inside and outside, and his potential to be a high-level NFL starter at either position should make him one of the first offensive linemen off the board come April.
QB Will Howard
Howard was another Buckeye who helped himself massively with his CFP performance as he played four of the best games of his college career in the playoff.
The Ohio State quarterback demonstrated the ability to throw the ball all over the field as he completed 75.3% of his pass attempts (82 of 109) for 1,150 yards and eight touchdowns with two interceptions in the CFP. The CFP also shined a spotlight on Howard’s tremendous leadership ability and intangibles as he rose to the occasion on the sport’s biggest stage to lead the Buckeyes to a national championship.
HOWARD EGBUKA
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) January 1, 2025
BUCKEYES UP 14-0 OVER THE DUCKS pic.twitter.com/nx3yuMHX4K
Howard still isn’t drawing many first-round projections from draft analysts, but in a draft class that has only two sure-fire first-round quarterbacks (Miami’s Cam Ward and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders), Howard put himself firmly in the conversation to be one of the next quarterbacks off the board as he outdueled three other soon-to-be 2025 NFL draft picks – Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel, Texas’ Quinn Ewers and Notre Dame’s Riley Leonard – to bring a title back to Columbus.
DE Jack Sawyer
Sawyer may have elevated himself from a Day 2 draft pick to a first-round pick with his spectacular play in the CFP.
The Ohio State defensive end showed his clutch gene when he made one of the all-time great plays in Buckeye history on the strip sack of Ewers that he turned into an 83-yard fumble return touchdown. But it was his consistent disruptiveness throughout the playoff, in which he had seven pass breakups and 4.5 sacks while also playing excellent run defense, that showed just how good of a defensive end he is when he’s playing at his best.
DE JT Tuimoloau
Like Sawyer, Tuimoloau established himself among the NFL draft’s top defensive ends and improved his chances of being a first-round pick with a dominant playoff run.
Tuimoloau recorded at least two tackles for loss in each of Ohio State’s four CFP games for a total of 10 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks, continuing to make a major impact through the national championship game even though he was playing through an ankle injury he suffered in the Cotton Bowl. While consistency was the biggest knock against Tuimoloau for most of his OSU career, Tuimoloau proved he could be a consistent difference-maker as both a pass-rusher and run defender in the playoff.
LB Cody Simon
For the season as a whole beyond just the CFP, Simon elevated his NFL draft stock more than any other Buckeye. While he likely would have gone undrafted if he entered the draft a year ago, Simon put himself in position to be a middle-round pick – NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah said on a media teleconference last week that he expects Simon to be drafted in the third-round range – with an outstanding fifth-year season in which he led Ohio State’s top-ranked defense with 112 tackles.
Like so many Buckeyes, Simon was at his best in the CFP, recording 38 tackles with four tackles for loss, two sacks and two pass breakups in Ohio State’s four playoff games. Simon answered questions about his range and athleticism by playing faster in 2024 than he had in previous seasons, and his continued excellence against some of the most athletic teams in college football further demonstrated his ability to translate his game to the next level.
RB TreVeyon Henderson
Henderson put his best qualities on full display in the CFP. Paramount among them is his big-play ability, and he indeed showed that with his six plays of 20-plus yards from scrimmage in the playoff, highlighted by his 75-yard touchdown off a screen pass just before halftime against Texas.
That screen was one of eight catches for 149 yards for Henderson in the playoff, showing his value in the passing game – along with his pass-blocking ability – in addition to his dynamic running ability. Cumulatively, Henderson led all players in the CFP with 414 yards from scrimmage on just 44 touches with five total touchdowns.
RB Quinshon Judkins
Judkins led all players in the CFP with seven touchdowns. He made the national championship game his personal showcase as he rushed for 100 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries and added two catches for 21 yards and another touchdown in Ohio State’s 34-23 victory over Notre Dame.
Judkins’ grown-man strength was on display throughout the playoff as Ohio State frequently turned to him to finish off drives in the red zone. While he’ll be drafted more for his between-the-tackles running ability and physicality than his speed, he showed NFL scouts he can make big plays too with his 70-yard run early in the second half against the Fighting Irish.
CB Jordan Hancock
Hancock was one of the unsung heroes of Ohio State’s national championship run, playing both slot cornerback and safety in the Buckeyes’ secondary.
Providing effective coverage at both spots while recording 16 tackles and two pass breakups, Hancock’s versatility was a crucial tool for the Buckeyes during their stretch run as it allowed them to fully unlock future 2026 first-round pick Caleb Downs by moving him all over the formation. Demonstrating that versatility against that competition should also bolster Hancock’s draft position as he’s shown that he can provide value in multiple roles, making him a potential fit for any scheme.
S Lathan Ransom
Like Hancock, Ransom may have been overshadowed by Downs in Ohio State’s secondary this past season but wasn’t overlooked by NFL scouts. The Buckeyes’ strong safety from this past season has also positioned himself to go as high as the third round with a strong fifth-year senior season that culminated with excellent play in the CFP.
Ransom’s hard-hitting style of play shined in the national spotlight as he recorded 19 tackles with three tackles for loss, one sack and one pass breakup in Ohio State’s playoff run, highlighted by his 7-yard tackle for loss on 2nd-and-goal against Texas’ Quintrevion Wisner that set up Sawyer’s game-sealing scoop-and-score.
CB Denzel Burke
Burke entered the CFP with something to prove after a disappointing senior season. He delivered by allowing just four catches for 43 yards on 116 coverage snaps across the Buckeyes’ four playoff games, according to Pro Football Focus.
While Burke didn’t have the year he needed to become a first-round pick, he solidified himself as a Day 2 or early Day 3 pick with his strong coverage against some top-notch receivers in the playoff – particularly against Oregon, as he bounced back from a disastrous game against the Ducks in the regular season by allowing zero catches on 29 coverage snaps in the Rose Bowl.
WR Emeka Egbuka
Egbuka didn’t need a big CFP as much as Ohio State’s other draft prospects as he was already widely projected as a first-round pick before the playoff started, but he might have solidified himself as a Round 1 selection with his play in Ohio State’s four playoff games.
While he never took over a game like future 2027 first-round pick Jeremiah Smith did in multiple CFP games, Egbuka made a consistent impact for the Ohio State offense, catching at least five passes for 51 yards in all four playoff games, good for a CFP-high 21 catches for 268 receiving yards, the second-most among all players in the CFP behind only Smith. 119 of those yards came after the catch as Egbuka did much of his damage turning shorter receptions from the slot into longer gains, which is likely how he’ll continue to be used frequently in the NFL.
DTs Tyleik Williams and Ty Hamilton
While they’re two different draft prospects – Williams projects best as a 3-technique penetrator in a 4-3 defense like he was at Ohio State, while Hamilton could potentially line up at multiple spots depending on the scheme of his NFL team – they’re listed together here because both of them bolstered their draft stock in the CFP the same way: By leading a dominant Ohio State run defense.
Ohio State held its opponents to an average of less than two yards per rushing attempt (240 yards on 122 carries) across its four CFP games, and the dominant play of Williams and Hamilton in the interior trenches was the biggest reason why. Williams is the more explosive player between the two, which has him projected to be a first- or second-round pick, but there’s been buzz that Hamilton could go as early as the third round based on how well he played in his fifth-year senior season, especially in Ohio State’s playoff run.
TE Gee Scott Jr.
Scott looks like a long shot to be drafted as he wasn’t invited to the combine, but he’ll have his play in the CFP to thank if he does end up sneaking into the late rounds.
After catching just 16 passes for 150 yards during the regular season, Scott caught 11 passes for 103 yards in four CFP games, demonstrating the playmaking ability as a receiver that was expected to be a bigger part of his game when he initially moved from wide receiver to tight end in 2021. He’ll have to prove he can do that consistently and continue his growth as a blocker if he’s going to make an NFL roster, but his strong finish to his final season as a Buckeye shows he could still have untapped potential.
OT Josh Fryar
Like Scott, Fryar wasn’t invited to the combine and is most likely to land an NFL opportunity as an undrafted free agent, but he played well enough in the CFP to possibly garner late-round consideration.
Like Jackson, Fryar wasn’t charged with allowing any sacks in the CFP, while he played a major role in run blocking for an offense that averaged 158 rushing yards per game in the playoff. He still had some trouble blocking speed rushers off the edge, his biggest weakness that could keep him from being drafted, but his performance in Ohio State’s championship run should at least earn him a minicamp invitation to compete for a roster spot.
