3 Ohio State football stars go in top 10 of Mel Kiper’s new mock draft

The 2025 Ohio State football team was loaded with talent and followed up its national championship team the year before with a roster almost as talented. They fell to Indiana and Miami late in the year, but that does not diminish the talent on this roster. There are five Buckeyes who could hear their name called in the first round, and even three who could be drafted in the top 10.

ESPN’s NFL Draft expert, Mel Kiper Jr., released his most recent mock draft for the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, and three players appeared in the top 10 alone. In total, the Buckeyes have five players who appeared in Kiper’s mock draft, underscoring the talent on that roster and why the Buckeyes stayed near the top of college football for most of the season.

The first Buckeye projected off the board is Ohio State linebacker and edge rusher Arvell Reese, who confirmed he was heading to the NFL with the Jets at the second pick. He would immediately boost a defense that desperately needs help. The Jets ranked 31st in sacks with 26, and Reese is someone who can immediately make an impact at that spot.

The second Ohio State player projected off the board is on offense in the receiving corps. Carnell Tate is projected to the Giants at the fifth pick. The Giants need to get Jaxson Dart help outside of Malik Nabers, and adding Tate would only make things easier for the offense. He caught 51 passes for 875 yards and nine scores last season for Ohio State.

The top 10 gets rounded out by another Ohio State defensive player, Caleb Downs, who the Bengals are projected to pick at the safety position. Safety is not as important a position in the NFL today as it used to be, but Downs is too good a talent to pass up. Downs is talented, smart, and has a technique too good to pass up.

The Ohio State football program still has two other players projected to be drafted, in linebacker Sonny Styles, heading to the Dallas Cowboys at pick 12, and Kayden McDonald, headed to the Chicago Bears at pick 25.

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