Ohio State Could Challenge NFL Draft Record In 2025

Former Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh said last summer that he thought his Wolverines would break the NFL Draft record for one school and have 20 players selected this year. He was seven short of that number, but Michigan did still have the most players from one school selected in this year’s NFL Draft.

The 13 players selected this week were still two short of the 7-round record of 15 set by Georgia in 2022.

The record that Harbaugh thought his team would break this year is in jeopardy next year, however, thanks to Ohio State and Georgia.

The Buckeyes did hold the record for a while, with 14 players selected in the 2004 NFL Draft.

The NFL Draft used to be 17 rounds, then went to 12 rounds in 1977, then down to its final form of seven rounds in 1994. Ohio State has had double-digit selections four times since 1994, and 2025 is shaping up to be OSU’s best turnout yet.

The possibilities of breaking the NFL Draft record next year are thanks in large part to the return of at least eight players who would have been drafted in this year’s draft. Combine that with additions through the transfer portal and players reaching draft eligibility this season, and the Buckeyes could be in for a record-breaking draft in 2025.

If the number was set at 15.5 draft picks for the Buckeyes next year, you might want to take the over. In fact, you could end up seeing some jockeying down the stretch by both OSU and Georgia to see who ends up with more picks next year.

But rather than just allude to a wide selection of possibilities, let’s go over the Ohio State names one by one.

QB Devin Brown – Right now, Devin Brown leaving for the NFL Draft after this season is a long shot. Even if he wins the job, it is difficult to expect him to play as well as past Buckeye starting QBs who left as redshirt sophomores (Dwayne Haskins, CJ Stroud). So you don’t need to add him to the list just yet.

QB Will Howard – This is Will Howard’s last year in college, so he’s on draft boards already. He chose OSU over the NFL. Only two Ohio State starting quarterbacks over the last 25 years weren’t drafted (JT Barrett, Todd Boeckman). (Both were First-Team All-Big Ten though.) If Howard wins the job, it’s difficult to imagine him going undrafted.

RB TreVeyon Henderson – TreVeyon Henderson could have left after the 2023 season and would have been drafted. Now he’s looking at day one (yes, we know how the NFL feels about first-round RBs) or day two next year.

RB Quinshon Judkins – Quinshon Judkins is a junior this year, so he could return for a senior season. After rushing for over 2,700 yards in his first two years, however, that isn’t necessarily expected to happen.

WR Emeka Egbuka – Emeka Egbuka is another player who could have left after last season but decided to return. Injuries derailed his draft stock. He was viewed as a first rounder in 2024 heading into last season. He is projected as a first rounder again in 2025.

TE Gee Scott, Jr. – Since 2012, five of Ohio State’s six starting tight ends have been drafted. The odds are that the next starter will get drafted as well. Gee Scott has 20 career catches, but could better that number this year.

OG Donovan Jackson – Donovan Jackson is going to be a three-year starter for the Buckeyes. He is another player who put the NFL on hold until next year.

OC Seth McLaughlin – If you win a starting job on the Alabama offensive line and the Ohio State offensive line, that’s generally good enough to get drafted. Seth McLaughlin still has to do the former, but regardless may end up doing the latter.

RT Josh Fryar – Josh Fryar has size and versatility on his side. The NFL may see him as a guard, but he has the kind of flexibility that provides value. He also has another year to improve and impress.

LT Josh Simmons – Josh Simmons is only a fourth-year junior, so he still has another year after this one, but some coaches will tell you that he is the most-talented lineman on the team. If he puts it all together this year, he’ll have a decision to make.

DE JT Tuimoloau – The only question about JT Tuimoloau is how high he’ll be drafted next year. He likely would have been a day-two guy (rounds 2 and 3) this year, but could have moved into the first with a great combine/pro day. He’ll be all over the first round of 2025 mock drafts just like he was this past year.

DE Jack Sawyer – Another Buckeye who said no to the NFL. Jack Sawyer was the ringleader behind getting so many teammates to return. You’ll see him in a bunch of mock drafts over the next year as well.

DT Tyleik Williams – The Buckeyes saw redshirt sophomore defensive tackle Mike Hall get selected in the second round of this year’s draft, which should be the benchmark for Tyleik Williams next year. And it wouldn’t be a shock to see him surpass that mark.

DT Ty Hamilton – It was Ty Hamilton who split time with Mike Hall last year. Hamilton outproduced Hall last season in tackles (38-24), tackles for loss (4.5-2.0), and sacks (2.0-1.5). Hall’s explosion and overall skillset put him in the second round. Hamilton’s production and reliability should land him somewhere as well.

LB CJ Hicks/Sonny Styles – It isn’t expected that CJ Hicks or Sonny Styles will have the kind of year as juniors that sends them off to the NFL. For one, they are fighting for the same position and neither has started there for an entire season. By that math, it would behoove them both to return as seniors for a second year of starting. However, starting as a junior at Ohio State is generally reason enough to have an NFL decision to make after the season. When tallying up the possibilities, you shouldn’t need to include either of these guys just yet. But you just might want to keep it in the back of your mind, especially given Styles’ experience and versatility.

LB Cody Simon – There isn’t a lot of talk about Cody Simon just yet, but give him a full year as a healthy starting middle linebacker at Ohio State and let’s see what happens. He should be more Tommy Eichenberg than Tuf Borland in the NFL’s eyes.

CB Denzel Burke – There is a chance that Denzel Burke is the first Buckeye drafted next year. He will be all over the mock drafts. He chose to return for his senior season but would have likely been a day two pick this year.

CB Davison Igbinosun – Davison Igbinosun will be a junior this year, so he’ll have a decision to make. As a three-year starting cornerback with length and physicality, however, those decisions are generally pretty easy.

CB Jordan Hancock – Another Buckeye junior who chose to return, Jordan Hancock will continue to show this year his ability to play nickel, which has become an increasingly important position. Teams have been drafting corners in the first round to be nickels for years now, so it doesn’t really limit a player’s possibilities. It also helps that Hancock can play inside and outside, and isn’t a slot corner just because he’s a smaller guy. He’s listed at 6-foot-1 and 195 pounds, after all.

SAF Lathan Ransom – Lathan Ransom is the kind of safety that coaches love. He is smart, reliable, and also pretty good on the football field. Injuries have limited him, but with a full season of good health in 2024, he should hear his name called somewhere next year.

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