4 MORE BUCKEYES
Kayden McDonald (No. 36, Texans), Max Klare (No. 61, Rams) and Davison Igbinosun (No. 62, Bills) go in Round 2 and Will Kacmarek (No. 87, Dolphins) goes in Round 3.
Ohio State's 2025 NFL draft class was historic, and its 2026 version is record-setting.
After the Buckeyes became the first school ever to have three defensive players selected in the first 11 picks and the first program since 1967 to have four players picked in the first 11 selections, Ohio State has achieved something that's only been done once before: Seven picks in the first two rounds of the NFL draft in back-to-back years.
With the first-round selections of Carnell Tate (No. 4 overall, Titans), Arvell Reese (No. 5 overall, Jets), Sonny Styles (No. 7 overall, Commanders) and Caleb Downs (No. 11 overall, Cowboys) on Thursday night, paired with Friday night’s second-round selections of Kayden McDonald (No. 36, Houston Texans), Max Klare (No. 61, Los Angeles Rams) and Davison Igbinosun (No. 62, Buffalo Bills), OSU has taken over the top two rounds of the NFL draft two consecutive years. They became the second school ever with seven first-round picks in the first two rounds of the draft, joining Alabama, which had seven in 2020 and eight in 2021.
| SCHOOL | YEAR(S) |
|---|---|
| OHIO STATE | 2026 (7), 2025 (7), 2016 (7) |
| GEORGIA | 2022 (7) |
| ALABAMA | 2021 (8), 2020 (7), 2017 (7) |
| LSU | 2020 (7) |
| USC | 2008 (7) |
| TENNESSEE | 2000 (7) |
| Research by Eleven Warriors’ Matt Gutridge | |
Ohio State and Alabama are also the only schools to have seven players selected in the first two rounds of the draft three separate times, as Ohio State previously had seven picks in the first two rounds in 2016. No other school has done it more than once.
Ryan Day wants Ohio State recruits to expect to become first- or second-round picks in the NFL draft, and the Buckeyes have now had 14 players selected in the first two rounds in the last two drafts.
“During the recruiting process, we talk about it, and you heard me say it the other day on a podcast, you come in looking to be a first- or second-rounder. Well, not everybody is, but it's the mindset. That’s the expectation,” Day said Friday. “Again, we expect to win every game. Does it always happen? No. Does everybody become a first or second rounder? No. But the mindset is that way, and that's been here for a long time, a lot longer than I’ve been here.”
Ryan Day wants Ohio State recruits to expect to be first- or second-round NFL draft picks.
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) April 24, 2026
We expect to win every game. Does it always happen? No. Does everybody become a first or second rounder? No. But the mindset is that way, and that's been here for a long time. pic.twitter.com/gYrDjVIKcn
Ohio State has now had a total of 28 players selected in the first two rounds of the NFL draft dating back to 2020.
Just like in 2025, Ohio State had four players drafted in the first round and three players drafted in the second round of this year’s draft. The Buckeyes had even more players selected in the first two days of this year’s draft than they did last year, though, as the Miami Dolphins selected Will Kacmarek in the third round (No. 87 overall).
Ohio State’s eight picks were the most of any school through the first three rounds of the draft.
Ohio State won't break its program record for total draft picks that it tied in 2025 with 14 selections, but the Buckeyes have already secured one of their most prolific drafts ever. Ohio State will look to reach double-digit draft selections on Saturday as Caden Curry and Lorenzo Styles Jr. are among those hoping to hear their names called in the final four rounds of the draft.
