Ohio State football player 2026 NFL mock draft | Buckeyes Wire

One of the greatest spectacles in all of American sports is about to come to a television or streaming device near you beginning this Thursday. We are, of course, talking about the NFL draft , with the 2026 version descending upon Pittsburgh for all the shenanigans and memorable moments. Most NFL drafts have a very Scarlet and Gray fever because of the football factory that is Ohio State, but this year should have an even tastier Buckeye flavor because OSU is expected to have four players go very, very early in the first round of the draft, and perhaps five total players taken in the first round.

That's right. Most NFL mock drafts have Arvelle Reese , Sonny Styles , Caleb Downs , and Carnell Tate going within the first ten to 15 picks, with Kayden McDonald also a possible first-rounder late. So yeah, we will be glued to things when the draft kicks off for its Day 1 first round on Thursday, and then through Saturday.

As we approach the draft, we are taking one last stab at trying to predict and project where every Ohio State player will go, with the earlier rounds being a little easier to figure out, and with the latter ones being more of a dart thrown against the dartboard. But hey, we're game. Here's a look at our call on where and when each Ohio State football player will be selected in the 2026 NFL draft.

Ohio State NFL draft projected first-round picks No. 2 - Arvelle Reese, Linebacker | New York Jets Reese seems to be pretty locked in with the Jets after Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza is most likely selected by the Las Vegas Raiders. Reese has versatility as a linebacker or edge rusher, but he is widely regarded as the best pass rusher in the draft and a freak of an athlete who has a huge upside.