The Ohio State Buckeyes are no strangers to producing NFL talent. From Hall of Famers like Orlando Pace and Cris Carter to recent first-round picks like Justin Fields, Garrett Wilson, and C.J. Stroud, the Scarlet and Gray have long been a staple of the NFL pipeline. But as the 2025 NFL Draft approaches, Ryan Day\u2019s program stands on the verge of something truly historic.<\/p>\n
This year\u2019s draft could be remembered as the most dominant Buckeye showcase of all time, potentially setting multiple program, Big Ten, and even national records in a single weekend. With elite talent at nearly every position\u2014headlined by generational wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.\u2014Ohio State is poised to make a thunderous statement about its place in the college football hierarchy.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s break down exactly how the Buckeyes could etch their names into NFL Draft history in 2025.<\/p>\n
Ohio State has had three players selected in the first round<\/strong> of the NFL Draft on three separate occasions (2006, 2016, 2020). That record may not just be tied in 2025\u2014it could be obliterated<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Realistic projections have four to six Buckeyes<\/strong> landing in the first round:<\/p>\n If five or more Buckeyes go in the first round, it would break the school record and match or exceed the all-time record of six first-rounders<\/strong> from a single school, set by Miami in 2004 and matched by Alabama in 2021.<\/p>\n Ohio State may also become the first school in NFL history to have two wide receivers drafted in the top 15 in back-to-back years<\/strong>, following 2024\u2019s pairing of Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka.<\/p>\n There\u2019s a good reason Harrison Jr. is the centerpiece of this draft for Ohio State. The All-American wideout is not only the best receiver prospect in years\u2014he\u2019s potentially one of the highest-drafted Buckeyes ever<\/strong>.<\/p>\n If Harrison is selected No. 2 overall\u2014or, in a shock, No. 1\u2014he will tie or break the mark for the highest-drafted wide receiver in school history and potentially tie Pace as the school\u2019s only No. 1 overall pick in the modern era.<\/p>\n He would also become the first wide receiver since Keyshawn Johnson in 1996<\/strong> to be taken first overall, should a team value him over the quarterbacks.<\/p>\n The Buckeyes\u2019 claim to \u201cWide Receiver U\u201d status could be cemented with Harrison and Egbuka both going in Round 1. This would mark the third straight draft with at least one Ohio State wide receiver taken in the first round<\/strong>, following Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave (2022), and Jaxon Smith-Njigba (2023).<\/p>\n Here\u2019s a recent breakdown of Ohio State WRs drafted in Round 1:<\/p>\n That\u2019s five first-round receivers in four years<\/strong>, a run that no other program can match, including Alabama and LSU.<\/p>\n Once a dominant factory for edge rushers like the Bosa brothers and Chase Young, Ohio State has seen a relative lull in DL draft production. But 2025 could mark a resurgence.<\/p>\n If both edge rushers land in Round 1, it would be the first time since 2016 that Ohio State produced multiple defensive linemen<\/strong> in the first round. That year featured Joey Bosa (No. 3)<\/strong> and Adolphus Washington (Round 3)<\/strong>, part of a dominant defensive class.<\/p>\n The Buckeyes\u2019 program record for most draft picks in a single year is 14<\/strong>, set in 2004 under Jim Tressel. That included three first-rounders and a wave of Day 2 and Day 3 selections.<\/p>\n This year\u2019s roster is deep enough to challenge or break that mark<\/strong>, especially with players from every position group drawing mid-to-late round interest:<\/p>\n Add in potential undrafted free agents who could be late risers, and it\u2019s feasible Ohio State sends 12 to 15 players<\/strong> to the NFL this year. If they hit 15, it would tie LSU (2020)<\/strong> and match Georgia\u2019s 2022 output<\/strong>, which holds the all-time record at 15 picks.<\/p>\n There\u2019s also potential for three Buckeyes to be the first players taken at their positions<\/strong>:<\/p>\n If this occurs, Ohio State would become just the third program ever to produce the top WR, OL, and RB in a single draft\u2014joining Alabama (2021) and Miami (2004).<\/p>\n The 2016 NFL Draft remains the gold standard for Ohio State:<\/p>\n 2025 has the potential to surpass even that legendary class<\/strong>, both in top-end talent and total selections. It may lack the quarterback component, but the balance across offense and defense makes this class arguably more complete.<\/p>\n Several NFL franchises with high picks and receiver needs are circling the Buckeye talent:<\/p>\n If a team double-dips on Buckeyes\u2014as the Jets and Saints did in 2022\u2014it would only enhance the storyline.<\/p>\n From a program perspective, such a historic showing would reinforce Ohio State\u2019s NFL development pipeline<\/strong> in the NIL and transfer portal era. It would give Day another major recruiting tool and could help keep elite talent flowing into Columbus.<\/p>\n For the Big Ten<\/strong>, Ohio State\u2019s success at the draft would bolster the conference\u2019s claim to being the best football conference in America\u2014especially as USC, UCLA, Oregon, and Washington join the fold in 2024.<\/p>\n If Ohio State dominates while Michigan, Penn State, and USC also produce multiple picks, it could mark a turning point in draft dominance<\/strong> away from the SEC and toward the newly-expanded Big Ten.<\/p>\n There\u2019s no denying the 2025 NFL Draft could become one of the most important weekends in Ohio State football history. Between a potential top-two pick, multiple first-rounders, and possibly a record-setting number of total draftees, the Buckeyes are perfectly positioned to remind the football world of their dominance.<\/p>\n While championships are the ultimate goal on the field, the NFL Draft offers a different kind of victory\u2014a validation of talent, development, and culture. And in 2025, Ohio State might just win it all on that front.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" How Ohio State Could Make History in the 2025 NFL Draft The Ohio State Buckeyes are no strangers to producing NFL talent. From Hall of Famers like Orlando Pace and … <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":5793,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[476,478,479,480],"class_list":["post-5792","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-football","tag-ohio-state","tag-ohio-state-buckeyes-news","tag-ohio-state-football-news","tag-ohio-state-news"],"yoast_head":"\n\n
Marvin Harrison Jr. Could Make History on His Own<\/h2>\n
Highest Buckeye Draft Picks<\/h3>\n
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Drafting Domination by Position<\/h2>\n
Wide Receiver U Ascending<\/h3>\n
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Defensive Line Rebirth<\/h3>\n
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Total Draft Picks: Could Ohio State Break Its Own Record?<\/h2>\n
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First at Their Positions?<\/h2>\n
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Historical Comparison to 2016<\/h2>\n
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NFL Team Impact<\/h2>\n
Which Teams Are Watching Closely?<\/h3>\n
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What It Means for Ohio State and the Big Ten<\/h2>\n
Conclusion: A Draft to Remember?<\/h2>\n