Four Ohio State Buckeyes make top-12 of Mel Kiper Jr.'s NFL Draft big board

The Ohio State Buckeyes were ranked as the No. 1 for the entire college football season up until their BIG10 championship loss to Indiana. This winning was achieved on the back of a ruthless defense and a young electric offense.

A close 13 to 10 loss to the Indiana Hoosiers isn't taking anything away from the individual seasons of star Buckeyes. Both sides of the ball are littered with NFL talent and ESPN NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. understands where they should tiered among the large pool of NFL prospects this spring.

Ohio State is currently waiting for the winner of the No. 7 Texas A&M Aggies and the No. 10 Miami Hurricanes in the first round of the College Football Playoffs. The Buckeyes will play the winner of this game in the Cotton Bowl quarterfinals in Arlington, Texas at 7:30pm Eastern.

The lone offensive player

The second-highest ranked Buckeye was wide receiver Carnell Tate at No. 9 on the big board.

"Tate is putting up some serious numbers and showing why he is a top prospect for this class. Tate has produced big plays on a regular basis, averaging 17.5 yards per catch this season. He is a precise route runner, has great hands and displays outstanding body control. And he'll also happily block for ball carriers, which NFL coaches love to see."
Mel Kiper Jr.

Tate suffered a lower body injury in November that made him miss most of the month. He's reeled in nine catches, 127 yards, and two touchdowns since returning to the squad. Tate's pairing with sophomore wide receiver Jeremiah Smith has made quarterback Julian Sayin's time as the gun-slinger in Ohio State much easier. Tate is a 6-foot-3 receiver from Chicago.

Three defensive stars make top-12

Ohio State is allowing 34.1 less yards per game than the second-best defense in the country. The Buckeyes behind defensive coordinator Matt Patricia's leadership is overwhelmingly the best defense in college football. This has also been achieved on the backs of aggressive and intelligent superstars.

Linebacker Arvell Reese ranked No. 4 in Mel Kiper Jr.'s big board of NFL Draft prospects. The versatile tackler has racked up 62 combined tackles, 6.5 sacks, and nine tackles for loss. Reese is explosive for his 6-foot-4 size and is a quick decision maker.

Safety Caleb Downs and linebacker Sonny Styles also rounded out Kiper Jr.'s top-12. Downs was ranked No. 11 and Styles was ranked No. 12. Downs was recently ranked No. 9 in the top ten of Heisman voting as well. Styles has flown more under the radar in terms of national media compared to Downs.

"You can tell Styles is a former safety; he has outstanding speed, and his burst allows him to spy the QB. Watch for him to dominate at the combine and in predraft testing. Styles is also a dependable tackler and closes in a flash. He really took the next step this season, even as he adapted to a new system under defensive coordinator Matt Patricia."
Mel Kiper Jr.

Expect head coach Ryan Day and the entire Ohio State Buckeyes program to have an eventful first night of the NFL Draft. The first night of the NFL Draft takes place April 23 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on ESPN, ABC, and NFL Network.