These days, Ohio State has become an NFL player factory, producing talent after talent heading to the league. This year, it is the same thing, as almost a dozen players have been drafted for the 2026 NFL Draft.
The team had an undefeated regular-season run and a good CFP run, and its success continued onto the draft with players turning pro and heading to the league next season.
A total of 11 players were selected from Ohio State, though each of them still have to earn their spots in the final roster, which should not be an easy task. However, being drafted alone has shown that the Buckeyes have earned that reputation as an NFL player factory.
Of course, this batch of Ohio State players possibly heading to the league is led by No. 4 overall lead Carnell Tate, arguably the best wide receiver for this year’s rookie class and he is headed to the Tennessee Titans. However, his former Buckeyes teammates are no slouches either and are seen as very promising rookies heading to their respective teams.
The 11 Players Heading To the NFL From the Ohio State Buckeyes
- Wide receiver Carnell Tate: First round, No. 4 overall pick by Tennessee Titans
- Linebacker Arvell Reese: First round, No. 5 overall pick by New York Giants
- Linebacker Sonny Styles: First round, No. 7 overall pick by Washington Commanders
- Safety Caleb Downs: First round, No. 11 overall pick by Dallas Cowboys
- Defensive tackle Kayden McDonald: Second round, No. 36 overall pick by Houston Texans
- Tight end Max Klare: Second round, No. 61 overall pick by LA Rams
- Cornerback Davison Igbinosun: Second round, No. 62 overall pick by Buffalo Bills
- Tight end Will Kacmarek: Third round, No. 87 overall pick by Miami Dolphins
- Safety Lorenzo Styles Jr.: Fifth round, No. 172 overall pick by New Orleans Saints
- Defensive end Caden Curry: Sixth round, No. 214 overall pick by Indianapolis Colts
- Offensive tackle Ethan Onianwa: Seventh round, No. 231 overall pick by Atlanta Falcons
Ohio State Has the Most NFL Draft Picks Of Any School in 2026
While they did not produce the No. 1 pick this year, that honor going to Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, Ohio State does own the distinction of having the most players drafted this year with those 11 incoming rookies. The team is followed closely by Alabama and Texas A&M which have 10 drafted players each.
Despite this, that number still does not compare to last year, as the Buckeyes produced 14 players drafted into the NFL. With that, Ohio State has now produced 25 NFL players in just the last two years alone, the most of any school.
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