The interest NFL teams have in this year’s draft prospects from Ohio State was on full display at Wednesday’s pro day.
All 32 NFL teams had representatives at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. Five teams sent both their head coach and general manager: the New York Jets (who have the No. 2 overall pick), the New York Giants (who pick No. 5 overall), the Washington Commanders (No. 7), Pittsburgh Steelers (No. 21) and Buffalo Bills (No. 26). New Orleans Saints head coach Kellen Moore (whose team has the No. 8 overall pick) was also in attendance, as was Miami Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan (whose team has seven picks in the first three rounds, including the 11th and 30th overall picks in Round 1).
Over the next four weeks leading up to the 2026 NFL draft, many of those teams will get another up-close look at Ohio State draft prospects by hosting them for visits at their team facilities.
Among the Buckeyes with a busy travel itinerary over the next month will be wide receiver Carnell Tate, who told reporters after Wednesday’s pro day that he’ll visit the Tennessee Titans (who have the No. 4 overall pick), the Giants, the Commanders, the Saints and the Kansas City Chiefs (who pick No. 9 overall). Tate has also already made a visit to the Cleveland Browns, who hold the No. 6 overall pick, meaning Tate has visited every team picking between No. 4 and No. 9 – which also appears to be the likely range for where he’ll get drafted as the projected top wide receiver in the 2026 NFL draft.
Another Buckeye with a busy travel itinerary is defensive tackle Kayden McDonald, a projected late first- or early second-round draft pick. McDonald recently told Sports Illustrated’s Justin Melo that he had made or would make visits with the Commanders, Dolphins, Cincinnati Bengals, New England Patriots, Las Vegas Raiders, Houston Texans, Baltimore Ravens and Chicago Bears.
Other Buckeyes who said they’re scheduled to make multiple team visits before the draft include linebacker Sonny Styles, tight end Max Klare and defensive backs Davison Igbinosun and Lorenzo Styles Jr.
Sonny Styles said he will visit the Cincinnati Bengals, who hold the No. 10 overall pick and have a major need at linebacker. He said he didn’t remember the other teams he’ll visit off the top of his head, but has several visits scheduled for April.
Klare, a projected Day 2 draft pick, said he has not yet made any team visits but has a “couple” lined up, starting with a visit to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Igbinosun, also a projected Day 2 pick, also said he had a “couple” of visits scheduled but did not remember which teams they were with. Lorenzo Styles Jr., a projected Day 3 draftee, said he was scheduled to meet with multiple teams, but did not specify which teams.
Tight end Will Kacmarek, another potential Day 3 draft pick, said he has already visited the Browns, like Tate, but does not yet have visits scheduled with any other teams.
Arvell Reese, a projected top-five pick, said he did not know what his visit schedule would be, though Sports Illustrated’s Arye Pulli reported that the Jets and Giants hosted Reese on visits earlier this month. Their representatives, including Jets coach Aaron Glenn and Giants coach John Harbaugh, were both watching closely on Wednesday as Reese, who’s expected to move from linebacker to edge rusher in the NFL, went through defensive line drills at Ohio State’s pro day.
Caleb Downs, also a projected top-10 pick, declined to comment when asked about meeting with the Bengals; he was not asked if he was meeting with any other teams, but previously declined to comment on meeting with any specific teams during his interview session at the NFL Scouting Combine. That said, Downs was spotted chatting with Giants coach John Harbaugh after Wednesday’s pro day.
And now #Buckeyes S Caleb Downs stops to greet #Giants coach Harbaugh. pic.twitter.com/9VWK32asPa
— Matt Kellner (@mattkellner121) March 25, 2026
Each NFL team is permitted to host up to 30 prospects on pre-draft visits.
Downs refutes report about knee issues
After Downs opted not to work out at the NFL Scouting Combine in February, a report by Daft on Draft’s Cory Kinnan indicated that the Ohio State safety had been flagged for a partially torn meniscus as well as a “potentially degenerative ACL.” While multiple NFL executives told ESPN’s Pat McAfee soon after that report surfaced that there was “nothing” in Downs’ medical examination that would deter them from bringing Downs in, Wednesday was the first time Downs addressed it directly.
“Really, they already answered it, Pat McAfee put out a statement about it, that's not what my medical says,” Downs said. “But it is what it is. I don't really know who gave him that information, whoever that dude is, but it is what it is. So I mean, just continue to do me, I can't control that, what people say.”
Downs proved he was fully healthy by going through a full defensive back workout at Wednesday’s pro day, though he did not participate in the 40-yard dash or any other measurable tests.
Lorenzo recovering from shoulder surgery
One Buckeye draft prospect who is dealing with a legitimate injury that prevented him from working out on Wednesday was fellow defensive back Lorenzo Styles Jr., who underwent shoulder surgery earlier this month after dealing with a shoulder injury for most of his senior season at Ohio State.
Fortunately for Styles, the injury didn’t prevent Styles from working out at the NFL Scouting Combine, where he gave his draft stock a huge boost by running a 4.27-second 40-yard dash, the fastest time of any defensive player. Styles said the injury did affect him in the vertical jump, however, as he had to reach with his opposite hand. While he still posted an impressive mark of 39 inches, he thought he would have leaped 42 or 43 inches had he been fully healthy.
“I was so mad,” Styles said. “I hadn’t done it with my left hand, so I had never done it before until that day.”
That said, Styles was very happy with his performance in the 40 and defensive back drills in Indianapolis, so he decided to get his shoulder repaired on March 3 – just four days after his combine workout – rather than wait until after pro day so that he could be healthy in time to participate in offseason workouts with his new team after the draft.
“I really wanted to be out here, man, but I did everything I had to do at the combine,” said Styles, who was wearing a sling on Wednesday. “I definitely wanted to do drills here today, but being able to have that performance, it did make me feel good about what I did there, for sure.”
Styles, who said he expects to get his sling off in about a week, said he will remain at Ohio State for injury rehab until the draft.
Tate, Styles to attend draft
Given that all of them are projected top-10 picks, it can be safely assumed that Reese, Tate, Downs and Sonny Styles will all be invited to attend the 2026 NFL draft in Pittsburgh. And at least two of them will accept those invitations.
Tate said Wednesday that the opportunity to walk across the stage was one that he and his family decided he couldn’t pass up.
“I'm going to go to Pittsburgh. Me and my family decided it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for us to all go, so why not go?” Tate said.
Styles said he will “definitely go” if he gets invited, describing it as “a special moment.” Lorenzo Styles Jr. also plans to make the trip to Pittsburgh alongside Sonny and his parents to support his younger brother. Knowing that he won’t be a first-round pick, however, Lorenzo said he won’t be staying in Pittsburgh to hear his own name called, instead returning to Central Ohio to watch the rest of the draft with his family at their home in Pickerington.
Reese said he did not know what his draft plans would be yet, while Downs was not asked whether he would be attending the draft.
