The 2026 NFL Draft’s first round is officially behind us. Ohio State extended its lead in all-time first-round picks with four in the first 11 picks. So, in total, Ohio State has had 99 players taken in the first round, 12 more than the next most (USC, 87). Ryan Day recently said his pitch to recruits is, “you come here, you’re coming here to be a first- or second-round pick, regardless of your position.” Of course, people tried to dunk on this statement as unrealistic, but if you’re the head coach of Ohio State, do you want players content with being Day 3 picks? No, you want players who want to be first and second-round picks.
So, looking ahead to the 2027 NFL Draft in Washington D.C., how many current Buckeyes are in line to extend that all-time lead in first-round picks?
This fall, 20 players will be playing in their final year of eligibility (nine are true seniors), and 23 players (nine redshirt sophomores) could forgo the rest of their eligibility to declare. The 2027 class may challenge the 2025 class as the largest in school history, but there’s a long way to go before we get to that discussion.
Ohio State’s Potential 2027 First-Round Picks
The Lock
There is only one player who is 100%, unequivocally, without a doubt a first-round lock for the 2027 NFL Draft: Jeremiah Smith. Let’s put it this way: There were NFL Draft experts and pundits alike who said he could have been a top-10 pick in 2025 after his freshman season. Buckeye fans, enjoy quite possibly the most talented player to come through the hallowed halls of The Ohio State University.
In all of college football, only three receivers have amassed over 2,000 yards across the last two seasons. Smith (2,562) is the only one returning to school, as UConn’s Skyler Bell (2,138) and Arkansas State’s Corey Rucker (2,085) have graduated.
He has the size, athleticism, work ethic, and on-field production. The only thing keeping him from being the first-overall pick is that whoever will hold that pick will need a franchise quarterback.
If He Declares
Speaking of quarterbacks, if he has another elite season in 2026, Julian Sayin would be considered a great chance to be a first-round pick. The question will be whether or not he declares.
Let’s say he just does exactly what he did last year and doesn’t improve. He would have back-to-back 3,600- yard, 32-touchdown seasons while likely setting the career completion percentage mark.
The concerns at this point are his size and how he responds under pressure. The latter can be improved upon. Of course, having a rushing attack that is better than ninth in the Big Ten would help. His offensive line is returning four starters with a handful of guys stepping up to make that “five best” decision harder.
Sayin will be considered a top quarterback; it’s just whether or not teams want to take a chance on a shorter player like Sayin. He will be compared to Drew Brees throughout the process, so maybe it’ll be worth the pick.
Needs a Breakout
Now, we can move on to guys who could play their way into the first round. First up, Kenyatta Jackson Jr. As one of the top EDGE players in his recruiting class, Jackson was buried on the depth chart for three years. Then, he broke out last year with 11 tackles for loss and six-and-a-half sacks. Due to the fact that he will be a fifth-year senior this fall, he is going to need to legitimately dominate to garner first-round buzz.
He has the physical tools and looks the part; it’s just going to be about how well he can keep it up in 2026, especially when you hear that Larry Johnson wants more rotation.
With Carnell Tate‘s selection, Ohio State has produced six first-round picks at receiver in five drafts. With Smith, could there be another? Kyle Parker and Devin McCuin could be one-and-done if either has a massive breakout. McCuin is in his final season of eligibility. He comes to Ohio State with 1,696 yards and 16 touchdowns from his time at UTSA. He was with the first team at the Spring Game, so the Buckeyes may be expecting a lot from him.
Parker is another interesting one to watch. He didn’t record anything in the Spring Game, but he was also a player whom LSU fans were distraught to lose. He has all kinds of potential, and with a quarterback like Sayin, plus Smith and Chris Henry Jr. garnering all kinds of attention, he could play his way into first-round contention.
Wild Cards
This section is also all about hoping for a breakout, but positional value still matters. Eddrick Houston looked like the real deal when he played, but he was passed over on the depth chart a bit last year. This season, he figures to be the number-one defensive tackle, but if James Smith comes in and takes those snaps, it’ll be tough, and he could fight his way into the conversation. Houston comes into this year after four tackles for loss, three sacks, and a forced fumble a year ago.
Throw any of the starting offensive linemen into this. Carson Hinzman and Luke Montgomery are expected to play out their final seasons of eligibility, while Philip Daniels and Austin Siereveld could forgo their final seasons. Add in whoever could win that last spot, and the Buckeyes may have a handful of offensive linemen to leave.
At this point, none of that unit is expected to earn first-round hype. Hinzman and Montgomery play positions that aren’t often taken that high. Daniels would need to take a massive step forward if it’s him. Siereveld is likely the best bet. Even then, he may come back for 2027.
Finally, pick a linebacker. Both Payton Pierce and Christian Alliegro have plenty of hype heading into 2026. But they would need to both win the job and have an Arvell Reese-like breakout season to be in the conversation.
Longshots
There is no shortage of talent on the 2026 team. There are some players who could have declared for the draft but elected to come back (or transfer in).
Brandon Inniss had moderate success as the WR3 last year, but if he effectively holds off the transfers and establishes himself as a true slot weapon, he may sneak his way in.
The secondary has a few players worth mentioning as well. Jermaine Mathews Jr. had NFL hype this year, but came back to play for the Buckeyes. It looks like he’s transitioning to one of the outside corner roles, so if he has more success than, say, Shaun Wade did, he’s shown that he has NFL talent. Earl Little Jr. will be interesting to watch as “the guy replacing the guy.” He’s another older prospect, so how will NFL teams hold that against him?
Finally, the other safety, Jaylen McClain. How much of McClain’s success in 2025 was due to playing next to a top-10 pick? The NFL loves Power 4 players who earned playing time early, and McClain appeared in 15 games as a true freshman in 2024 (110 snaps on defense, 213 on special teams).
All in all, next year could be a big year for Ohio State in the first round. At the same time, in the NIL era, Ohio State could retain more NFL-ready talent. Imagine if Smith, Sayin, and a host of NFL Draft-eligible players came back in 2027…Okay, we are getting ahead of ourselves.
