NFL Draft 2026: Ohio State has 3 defenders who are worth top-10 picks, positional value be damned
Caleb Downs, Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles will have teams throwing positional value to the wind, speaking to the incredible cornerstone talent they potentially have. Let's break down each one.
The top of the 2026 NFL Draft will feature a trio of defenders from the same school with Ohio State, as usual, pumping high end talent into the NFL. Arvell Reese, Caleb Downs and Sonny Styles led one of the elite defenses in college football this year, proving each week why they’re bonafide NFL talents. Somehow, the Buckeyes couldn’t generate enough offense to win a game in the postseason, but defense held up its end of the bargain for the vast majority of the season thanks to those three players.
While two linebackers and a safety going within the top 10 picks of the draft might seem like a bit of a deviation from previous years when position value was a point of focus, it speaks to the incredible cornerstone talent that Reese, Downs and Styles potentially have (and also the rest of the draft class). Caleb Downs might be best player in this class regardless of position Downs has been the biggest name on the defense, fulfilling the expectations set in front of him as one of the most hyped safety recruits in recent memory — and being the younger brother of Colts wide receiver Josh Downs. Watch Yahoo Sports Network Upon arriving at Alabama as a freshman defensive back, he immediately earned a starting role in Nick Saban’s defense and was one of the truly elite defenders in the country.
Even on a defense that featured first-round picks in Jihaad Campbell, Terrion Arnold and Jihaad Campbell, Downs led the team with 107 total tackles, 70 solo tackles and chipped in 3. 5 tackles for loss and two interceptions. Following Saban’s retirement, he picked up his bags and headed to Columbus, where he continued to star for the Buckeyes.
Downs spent his junior year playing for another former NFL defensive mind in Matt Patricia, cementing his status among the best players available in this year’s draft. Again, on a defense filled with future NFL players, Downs was a key force for the Buckeyes and even finished ninth in the Heisman voting, a rare feat for a safety. There isn’t any safety alignment that he can’t play at the next level, but some of his best tape comes when he plays in the box, slot or as an overhang player in that area of the field.
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