Sixteen prospects will be in Pittsburgh April 23 in hopes of hearing their name be called by the NFL commissioner, Roger Goodell.
Five of the players will make the trip from Ohio State to the draft room. Caleb Downs, Kayden McDonald, Arvell Reese, Sonny Styles and Carnell Tate all represent the Buckeyes and have plenty of suitors for their talents at the next level.
Five individuals from the same school being slotted in the first round is an impressive feat and falls one short of the standing record of six players being drafted from the same university in the first round of the NFL draft. This was done twice in history, once by the Miami Hurricanes in 2004 and again by Alabama in 2021.
Here are some highlights for the five invitees and the teams we may expect to submit their draft cards for their services.
Caleb Downs - Safety
Caleb Downs may be the best football player in this draft. He is smart, fast, and always finds himself around the ball. Downs has had world-class coaching in his collegiate career, combined with world-class production.
As a true freshman, Downs played for Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide, where he was the 2023 SEC Freshman of the Year.
Over the next two seasons, he would take his talents to Columbus, where he would be a 2x unanimous All-American (2024, 2025). He won a National Championship in his first year at the school in 2024.
Over his three seasons, he accumulated over 250 tackles, 6 interceptions, and 16 passes defensed. He also returned a punt for a touchdown as a return man.
In 2025, he brought home the Jim Thorpe Award, given to the nation’s best Defensive back, and the Lott Impact, which is an award given annually to the nation’s top defensive player, who also exhibits the positive characteristics on and off the field.
For the better part of two and a half seasons, Downs has been an essential lock for a top 10 selection in the draft. In recent months, Downs has seen a bit of a slide in his perceptive selection spot, due in part to the fact that he skipped athletic testing at the combine, and some concern about a partially torn meniscus that needed time to heal.
Downs is a ready-made pro. He will step in and provide stability, sure tackling, and a veteran presence rare for a player who won’t turn 22 until halfway through his rookie season.
Best fits: Bengals, Jets, Cowboys, Dolphins
Kayden McDonald - Defensive Tackle
As a Buckeye last season, McDonald popped onto the scene after showing flashes in the 2024 season in a loaded DL room. Standing 6’2 and 325 pounds, McDonald has prototypical size at the Nose position.
Earning Big Ten Conference DL of the year and was named a first-team Associated Press All-American in his first full year as a starter.
He excelled at getting to the backfields as an interior lineman, penetrating through offensive linemen consistently, and finishing plays in the backfield.
McDonald displays great strength, known for knocking back defenders with his initial punch. He displayed this power to the tune of 27 reps of 225 at the NFL combine.
The downside with McDonald is that he has not played a ton of reps at the college level. As a pass rusher, he leaves some meat on the bone.
He is a natural run stuffer who could grow his pass rush move set to be able to remain on the field for all downs.
As a rookie, he should be able to step in and contribute as an early down DL with a high motor. It will be interesting to see how the 21-year-old adapts to NFL-level strength.
Best Fits: Patriots, Vikings, Bills, Cardinals
Arvell Reece - Linebacker
Arvell Reece and Sonny Styles are two of the freakiest linebackers I have ever seen. They very well may have been the most athletic LB duo in the modern CFB era. Elite mixes of athleticism and IQ will help both guys at the next level.
The two of these guys will need to find different types of homes in the NFL.
Reece will need a team that has a clear path for him to develop. Some teams view him as an EDGE like Micah Parsons, while others view the athleticism in a role similar to the one Ryan Shazier played with the Steelers.
As a pass rusher, the talent is apparent, but it is not refined. He consistently could bulldoze and speed rush past college tackles without much worry, but when he was asked to consistently rush the passer, the efficiency dipped.
Reece is best utilized as an uber-athlete who can cover sideline to sideline. Allowing him to diagnose plays and react will allow all of his tools to shine as an off-ball linebacker.
Reece won’t turn 21 until after the start of the season. He is raw and will need time to mature as a player, but if a team can grow with Reece, he can turn into a weapon that echoes the likes of some of the league’s best.
In 2025, he was named First-team Associated Press All-American, Big Ten Conference LB of the Year, and First-team All-Big Ten, as well as being a finalist for the Butkus Award.
The future for Reece can be “boom or bust,” with stability and player development being essential for him to grow into the 6’4, 240-pound monster he can be.
Best fits: Jets, Cardinals, Jaguars, Commanders
Sonny Styles - Linebacker
Sonny Styles is one of the more intriguing draft prospects in the whole draft. He was seen as a very reliable and smart linebacker who made all of the “smart plays” for the Buckeyes.
That was the perception until he went out and obliterated the NFL combine.
Measuring in at 6’5 and 244 pounds, he ran a 4.46 40-yard dash and then doubled down by jumping a massive 43.5-inch vertical leap and 11’2” broad jump, highlighting the immense raw athleticism that he possessed.
The weird part about Styles is that he has only played two seasons as a linebacker. In his freshman campaign, he was at safety for the Buckeyes.
Styles was still learning about the ins and outs of the position as he racked up Second Team All-American honors. In his senior campaign, he recorded 82 tackles, 6.5 TFLs, alongside 3 PBUs and an interception.
He will step in and be a good coverage linebacker in the NFL. He utilizes his athleticism well in space and is sticky in pass coverage, allowing him to remain on the field for all three downs for whatever team that takes him.
As a run defender, he is still getting used to filling the gaps and taking on pulling guards. Being a safety for the first two years of college, there are not many 330-pound guys getting to the third level of the defense.
When Styles follows his reads and gets downhill quickly, he does not miss many tackles. It was not until week 14 that Styles missed his first tackle of the season.
As a person, he leaves no box unchecked. He was named a team captain for the Buckeyes and was constantly a spokesman for the team as their season rolled on.
Best Fits: Bengals, Chiefs, Cowboys, Buccaneers
Carnell Tate - Wide Receiver
Carnell Tate is a high-floor, high-upside NFL wide receiver with the size, hands, and route intelligence teams covet. He may never be a pure speed merchant, but his combination of polish, ball skills, and frame makes him one of the safer long-term bets at the position.
Tate has an innate ability to create space. His use of the entire route tree was well represented in 2025.
Tate was constantly beating cushion coverage and utilizing double-moves and setting up defenders in his routes. When you see Carnell Tate, think more along the lines of Davante Adams.
Tate excelled in contested catch situations as well. In these situations, he brought down 12 of 14 such targets. He has NFL-ready hands the second he steps into an NFL locker room.
One would like to see the wideout fill out his frame a bit more; if contested catches are going to continue to be a part of his game, he will need to add some muscle to fight off NFL corners. Tate came into the combine at a smaller 192 pounds.
Tate could be knocked for never being “the guy” at Ohio State. He has had the pleasure of playing with some notable OSU wideouts in his time at Columbus, including Jeremiah Smith, Marvin Harrison Jr, and Emeka Egbuka.
The previously mentioned Egbuka had the same knock coming out of Columbus and is coming off a stellar rookie year with the Buccaneers.
Tate provides an instant outside presence with great hands. If he can keep his body healthy during the rigor of a 17-game regular season, he should have a very successful rookie campaign.
Best Fits: Rams, Steelers, Jets, Browns