2026 NFL Mock Draft Roundup: Four Buckeyes Projected As Top-10 Picks, Kayden McDonald in First Round of Most Mocks Entering Ohio State’s Pro Day

Four Ohio State players are projected as top-10 picks in the vast majority of mock drafts: Arvell Reese, Sonny Styles, Carnell Tate and Caleb Downs. Should those projections come to fruition on April 23, Ohio State will become just the third school ever – and the first in 59 years – to have four top-10 overall picks in the same draft, joining Michigan State in 1967 and Notre Dame in 1946.

Kayden McDonald is also projected as a first-round pick in most mock drafts that have been released over the last couple of weeks, leading up to Ohio State’s pro day on Wednesday, when 17 members of last year’s Ohio State football team will have another opportunity to impress NFL scouts in workouts at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. If McDonald is drafted in the first round, this year’s draft would join the 2016 and 2006 drafts as the third time Ohio State has five players selected in the first round. 

A multitude of new mock drafts have been released since the start of last week as draft analysts have updated their projections following the first wave of NFL free agency. With most of the top free agents now off the board, each team’s needs for next month’s NFL draft have become clearer, prompting many NFL draft writers to release multiple-round mock drafts.

For our pre-pro day NFL mock draft roundup with one month to go until the NFL draft begins, we compiled the projections for Ohio State’s draft prospects from the following three dozen mock drafts, which include two seven-round projections, four four-round projections, seven three-round projections, four two-round projections and 19 one-round projections:

• Ohio State’s 2026 Pro Day Participants

  DE Caden Curry
  RB CJ Donaldson
  S Caleb Downs
  LS John Ferlmann
  K Jayden Fielding
  CB Davison Igbinosun
  LS Collin Johnson
  TE Will Kacmarek
  TE Max Klare
  DT Tywone Malone Jr.
  DT Kayden McDonald
  OT Ethan Onianwa
  LB Arvell Reese
  DB Lorenzo Styles Jr.
  LB Sonny Styles
  WR Carnell Tate
  LB Joey Velazquez

  A to Z Sports' Kyle Crabbs (2 rounds)
• A to Z Sports' Ryan Roberts (2 rounds)
• A to Z's Staff (4 rounds)
• Athlon Sports’ Luke Easterling (4 rounds)
• Bleacher Report Scouting Department (1 round)
• CBS Sports' Josh Edwards (1 round)
• CBS Sports' Mike Renner (1 round)
• CBS Sports’ Pete Prisco (1 round)
• CBS Sports' Tom Fornelli (1 round)
• Draft Tek (7 rounds)
• DraftWire's Curt Popejoy (1 round)
• ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. (1 round)
• FanSided's Cody Williams (3 rounds)  
• Fox Sports’ Joel Klatt (1 round)
• NBC Sports' Connor Rogers (1 round)
• NBC Sports' Kyle Dvorchak (1 round)
• NFL.com's Chad Reuter (4 rounds)
• NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah (1 round)
• NFL.com's Eric Edholm (1 round)
• Philadelphia Inquirer’s Devin Jackson (3 rounds)
• Pro Football Network’s Alec Elijah (3 rounds)
• Pro Football Network's Reese Decker (3 rounds)
• Pro Football Network’s T.J. Randall (7 rounds)
• Rotowire's Mario Puig (3 rounds)
• San Diego Union-Tribune’s Eddie Brown (3 rounds)
• Sports Illustrated's Jared Feinberg (2 rounds)
• Sports Illustrated's Justin Melo (1 round)
• Sporting News' Vinnie Iyer (1 round)
• Sports Talk's Sam Teets (3 rounds)
• Tankathon (4 rounds)
• The Athletic Beat Writers (1 round)
• The Draft Network’s Jaime Eisner (1 round)
• The McShay Report’s Todd McShay (1 round)
• USA TODAY’s Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz (1 round)
• USA TODAY's Nate Davis and Ayrton Ostly (2 rounds)
• Yahoo's Nate Tice and Charles McDonald (1 round)

Players are listed in order of their average draft projection in the mocks in which they are listed. The plus/minus next to each player’s average indicates whether their average has improved or fallen since our last mock draft roundup on March 8.

Arvell Reese, LB

• Round 1, No. 2, New York Jets: 28 (A to Z, Brown, B/R, Decker, Draft Tek, Dvorchak, Easterling, Edholm, Eisner, Edwards, Elijah, Fornelli, Iyer, Jackson, Jeremiah, Klatt, McShay, Melo, Middlehurst-Schwartz, Prisco, Puig, Renner, Reuter, Rogers, Tankathon, Teets, Williams, Yahoo)
• Round 1, No. 3, Arizona Cardinals: 2 (Kiper, USA TODAY)
• Round 1, No. 4, Tennessee Titans: 2 (Feinberg, Roberts)
• Round 1, No. 5, New York Giants: 3 (Popejoy, Randall, The Athletic)
• Round 1, No. 7, Washington Commanders: Crabbs

Average Draft Projection: 2.6 (-0.1)

Reese remains the favorite to be the No. 2 overall pick in the NFL draft, landing there in more than 75% of the mock drafts in this roundup. While he played middle linebacker at Ohio State, the Jets are expected to play him at edge rusher, the position he said at the combine that he most wants to play in the NFL.

All 36 mock drafts in this roundup have Reese going in the top seven picks, with only one dropping him outside of the top five. After showing the ability to do a little bit of everything for Ohio State’s nation-best defense last season, he’s viewed by many draft analysts as the highest-upside prospect in this year’s class, and he’ll likely hear his name called very early on April 23 as a result.

Sonny Styles, LB

• Round 1, No. 2, New York Jets: 3 (Crabbs, Feinberg, Randall)
• Round 1, No. 3, Arizona Cardinals: 6 (B/R, Iyer, Puig, Roberts, Teets, Yahoo)
• Round 1, No. 3, New York Giants: Jackson
• Round 1, No. 4, Tennessee Titans: 3 (Draft Tek, Dvorchak, Middlehurst-Schwartz)
• Round 1, No. 5, New York Giants: 14 (A to Z, Brown, Decker, Easterling, Edholm, Edwards, Eisner, Jeremiah, Prisco, Renner, Rogers, Williams, Tankathon, The Athletic)
• Round 1, No. 7, Washington Commanders: 6 (Kiper, Klatt, McShay, Melo, Popejoy, Reuter)
• Round 1, No. 10, Cincinnati Bengals: USA TODAY
• Round 1, No. 12, Dallas Cowboys: Fornelli
• Round 1, No. 13, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Elijah

Average Draft Projection: 5.2 (+1.4)

The biggest star of the entire NFL Scouting Combine, Styles is now projected as a top-five pick alongside Reese in a majority of mock drafts. The two former Buckeyes could end up playing in the same NFL stadium, as more than 40% of the mock drafts in this roundup have the New York Giants drafting Styles with the No. 5 overall pick.

All but two of the 36 mock drafts have Styles being drafted in the top 10, which would make Reese and Styles the first pair of linebackers from the same school to be selected in the top 10 picks of the same NFL draft.

Carnell Tate, WR

• Round 1, No. 2, New York Jets: Popejoy
• Round 1, No. 4, Tennessee Titans: 2 (Elijah)
• Round 1, No. 5, New York Giants: 5 (B/R, Draft Tek, Iyer, Klatt, Crabbs)
• Round 1, No. 6, Cleveland Browns: 8 (A to Z, Edwards, Jeremiah, McShay, Melo, Prisco, Roberts, Rogers)
• Round 1, No. 7, Washington Commanders: 8 (Brown, Decker, Edholm, Eisner, Jackson, Puig, Teets, USA TODAY)
• Round 1, No. 8, New Orleans Saints: 8 (Dvorchak, Easterling, Kiper, Middlehurst-Schwartz, Randall, Renner, The Athletic, Williams)
• Round 1, No. 9, Kansas City Chiefs: Fornelli
• Round 1, No. 11, Miami Dolphins: 2 (Feinberg, Tankathon)
• Round 1, No. 12, Dallas Cowboys: Reuter
• Round 1, No. 14, Baltimore Ravens: Yahoo

Average Draft Projection: 8.1 (+0.4)

90% of the mock drafts in this roundup have Tate being selected in the top eight picks. Two-thirds of the mocks have Tate being selected between the No. 6 and No. 8 overall picks, as the Cleveland Browns, Washington Commanders and New Orleans Saints are all viewed as top candidates to draft the former Ohio State wide receiver.

The Browns have already shown interest in Tate by bringing Tate two hours up the road from Columbus for a pre-draft visit. If they don’t draft Tate, he could end up pairing up with another former Ohio State wide receiver, as he’d join Terry McLaurin in Washington or Chris Olave in New Orleans if drafted by the Commanders or Saints.

All 36 mock drafts have Tate going in the top 15, which would make Tate the sixth Ohio State wide receiver in five years to be selected in the top 20 picks of a draft.

Caleb Downs, S

• Round 1, No. 5, New York Giants: 4 (Fornelli, Kiper, Melo, USA TODAY)
• Round 1, No. 6, Cleveland Browns: 3 (Iyer, Popejoy, Crabbs)
• Round 1, No. 7, Washington Commanders: 9 (B/R, Edwards, Elijah, Middlehurst-Schwartz, Randall, Roberts, Rogers, Yahoo, The Athletic)
• Round 1, No. 8, New Orleans Saints: 2 (A to Z, Prisco)
• Round 1, No. 9, Kansas City Chiefs: 4 (Decker, Feinberg, Reuter, Tankathon)
• Round 1, No. 10, Cincinnati Bengals: 12 (Draft Tek, Dvorchak, Easterling, Edholm, Eisner, Jackson, Jeremiah, McShay, Puig, Renner, Teets, Williams)
• Round 1, No. 11, Miami Dolphins: Brown
• Round 1, No. 12, Dallas Cowboys: Klatt

Average Draft Projection: 8.2 (-0.3)

Downs is also a near-unanimous choice to be a top-10 pick, landing in the top 10 of all but two of the 36 mock drafts in this roundup. The Cincinnati Bengals’ No. 10 overall pick is viewed by most as the floor for Downs’ draft stock, though each of the five teams drafting directly above them is also viewed as a candidate to draft the former Ohio State safety.

No mock drafts have the Jim Thorpe Award winner and two-time unanimous All-American falling further than the No. 12 overall pick.

Kayden McDonald, DT​

• Round 1, No. 8, New Orleans Saints: Puig
• Round 1, No. 16, New York Jets: Melo
• Round 1, No. 18, Minnesota Vikings: Yahoo
• Round 1, No. 21, Pittsburgh Steelers: Decker
• Round 1, No. 22, Los Angeles Chargers: 2 (Eisner, Fornelli)
• Round 1, No. 25, Chicago Bears: 3 (Brown, Randall, Roberts)
• Round 1, No. 26, Buffalo Bills: 2 (B/R, Williams)
• Round 1, No. 28, Houston Texans: 8 (Edholm, Elijah, Feinberg, Jackson, McShay, Popejoy, Renner, Tankathon)
• Round 1, No. 29, Kansas City Chiefs: The Athletic
• Round 1, No. 30, Denver Broncos: Crabbs
• Round 1, No. 31, New England Patriots: 2 (Jeremiah, Teets)
• Round 2, No. 36, Las Vegas Raiders: USA TODAY
• Round 2, No. 40, Kansas City Chiefs: A to Z
• Round 2, No. 42, Arizona Cardinals: Easterling
• Round 2, No. 48, Atlanta Falcons: Reuter
• Round 2, No. 49, Minnesota Vikings: Draft Tek

Average Draft Projection: 28.4 (+2.9)

While McDonald was only projected as a first-round pick in 15 of 32 mock drafts in our early March roundup, he appears in the first round of 23 of 36 of the mocks in this roundup.

While his projected draft stock fell slightly after he opted not to do any athletic testing at the combine, he’s back in the late first round of most mock drafts now after a unanimous All-American season in his final campaign as a Buckeye. His stock could certainly continue to rise if he has a strong showing at Ohio State’s pro day on Wednesday.

The Houston Texans are viewed as the most likely team to draft McDonald in the late first round, as they’re projected to select him in eight different mocks. Should that happen, the Texans could have an all-Buckeye tandem of starting defensive tackles next season, with Tommy Togiai coming off a career year in Houston.

Davison Igbinosun, CB

• Round 2, No. 49, Minnesota Vikings: USA TODAY
• Round 2, No. 52, Green Bay Packers: A to Z
• Round 2, No. 56, Jacksonville Jaguars: Draft Tek
• Round 2, No. 57, Chicago Bears: Decker
• Round 2, No. 61, Los Angeles Rams: Jackson
• Round 3, No. 65, Arizona Cardinals: Easterling
• Round 3, No. 67, Las Vegas Raiders: 2 (Reuter, Sheath)
• Round 3, No. 70, Cleveland Browns: Tankathon
• Round 3, No. 72, Cincinnati Bengals: Williams
• Round 3, No. 77, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Teets
• Round 3, No. 81, Jacksonville Jaguars: Randall
• Round 3, No. 83, Carolina Panthers: Elijah
• Round 3, No. 92, Dallas Cowboys: Brown

Average Draft Projection: 73 (-12.1)

While a few mock drafts have Igbinosun being selected in the bottom half of Round 2, most mock drafts have the former Ohio State cornerback coming off the board in the third round. All but one mock draft in this roundup that includes at least three rounds has Igbinosun being selected somewhere on Day 2.

Max Klare, TE

• Round 2, No. 40, Kansas City Chiefs: USA TODAY
• Round 2, No. 62, Denver Broncos: 3 (Crabbs, Roberts, Tankathon)
• Round 3, No. 70, Cleveland Browns: Jackson
• Round 3, No. 74, Kansas City Chiefs: Randall
• Round 3, No. 75, Miami Dolphins: Decker
• Round 3, No. 79, Atlanta Falcons: Draft Tek
• Round 3, No. 87, Miami Dolphins: Brown
• Round 3, No. 90, Miami Dolphins: 4 (A to Z, Puig, Reuter, Williams)
• Round 3, No. 95, New England Patriots: Easterling

Average Draft Projection: 75.2 (+0.5)

Like Igbinosun, Klare is a consensus third-round pick and a near-unanimous selection to be selected on Day 2 in mock drafts that include three or more rounds.

The two most popular projected landing spots for Klare are the Denver Broncos and the Miami Dolphins – the latter of whom has a major need for offensive playmakers, and four third-round picks, after trading star wide receiver Jaylen Waddle to the Broncos.

Caden Curry, DE

• Round 4, No. 125, New England Patriots: Reuter
• Round 4, No. 128, Detroit Lions: Easterling
• Round 5, No. 147, Washington Commanders: Randall
• Round 5, No. 153, Philadelphia Eagles: Draft Tek

Average Draft Projection This Cycle: 138.3 (-6.8)

Early Day 3 is viewed as the likely draft range for Curry, who appears as a fourth-round pick in two of the four four-round mocks in this roundup while drawing fifth-round projections in both of the seven-round mocks. His draft projections fall just slightly below those of fellow former Ohio State defensive end Jack Sawyer, who was selected with the No. 123 overall pick in the fourth round of last year’s NFL draft.

Lorenzo Styles Jr., DB

• Round 5, No. 171, New England Patriots: Draft Tek
• Round 6, No. 204, Los Angeles Chargers: Randall

Average Draft Projection: 187.5 (-22.5)

Styles wasn’t appearing in any mock drafts before the NFL Scouting Combine, but he’s projected to be drafted in the middle of Day 3 now after running a 4.27-second 40-yard dash – the fastest time of any defensive player and the fastest time ever for a Buckeye at the combine – in Indianapolis.

Will Kacmarek, TE

• Round 3, No. 67, Las Vegas Raiders: Puig

Average Draft Projection: 194.3 (N/A)

Rotoworld’s Mario Puig has the Las Vegas Raiders selecting Kacmarek in the early third round, but that’s the only mock draft in this roundup – including the two seven-rounders – that he’s included in at all.

Adding in values of 258 as a control variable for his absence from the two seven-round mocks, his consensus draft projection averages out as a late sixth-round pick, which is likely a more realistic draft range for the former Ohio State tight end, who had just 23 catches for 254 yards and two touchdowns in two seasons as a Buckeye but has a chance to be drafted because of his blocking ability.

Seven other Buckeyes who are not currently projected to be selected in any mock drafts will also participate in pro day looking to boost their draft stocks: running back CJ Donaldson, offensive lineman Ethan Onianwa, defensive tackle Tywone Malone Jr., linebacker Joey Velazquez, kicker Jayden Fielding and long snappers John Ferlmann and Collin Johnson.

Wednesday’s pro day is scheduled to begin at noon at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. Stay tuned with Eleven Warriors for coverage of Wednesday’s event.