Ohio State Aims for Historical Feat Within Top-10 of the 2026 NFL Draft

The Ohio State Buckeyes found a way to get noticed at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine.

Linebackers Sonny Styles and Arvell Reese dominated on Thursday, while Caleb Downs cemented his standing as the top safety available. Meanwhile, Carnell Tate kept working on convincing people that he’s the premier wide receiver in this class, which is hard to argue.

After watching their performances and interviews in Indianapolis, the question now becomes: can Ohio State set a new NFL Draft record with four prospects landing in the Top-10 picks? At least one long-time draft analyst thinks this could very well be the case.

When asked about it on the “Wake Up Barstool” show, Todd McShay agreed that this could very well be the case for next April’s draft.

“I think it’s a lock that Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles are going. I think it’s pretty close to a lock that Caleb Downs, the safety, is going. And Carnell Tate would be the one where you say, ‘Well, is he at that level at the wide receiver position?’ My answer would be, ‘Yes!’ You know, I’ve talked to different teams. Some teams actually still have Jordyn Tyson as wide receiver 1, not a lot. The injury issues coming out of Arizona State, could be kind of the tiebreaker. But it’s really Carnell Tate, Makai Lemon and Jordyn Tyson, and I would say the majority of teams that I’ve talked to have Carnell Tate as the first receiver.”

Surprisingly, McShay went even further, stating that all four top Ohio State prospects could hear their names being called from the stage by the first seven or eight picks.

“So now you start asking the question, ‘Could it be Top-7? Top-8? You know what I mean? Quite honestly, what’s to say that Arvell Reese doesn’t go 2, Sonny Styles doesn’t go 3, Caleb Downs doesn’t go somewhere in the Top-5, and maybe Carnell Tate goes eight to the New Orleans Saints?

“So there’s a legitimate shot that they’re in the Top-8, and I feel actually, if you gave me the odds right now, I’d probably take [the bet] that all four guys will be gone in the Top-10.”

How Realistic Is It for Ohio State To See Four Buckeyes Drafted Within the Top-10 Picks of the 2026 NFL Draft?

Very. And it would be very meaningful, as well.

Like McShay stated, Reese and Downs have been considered locks for a spot in the Top-10 for some time. Tate has been dominating the discussion as the best wideout available, too, and though he might not be a unanimous choice, it could come down to whether a specific team thinks highly enough of him. The Cleveland Browns, Washington Commanders, New Orleans Saints and Kansas City Chiefs, all picking from No. 6 to No. 9 in that order, would be teams to follow closely for Tate.

However, Styles would now be the wildcard, after the impressive show he put on at the Combine. While a first-round grade seemed logical for the Buckeye tackling machine, he will get pushed up on team’s draft boards after tearing up the place in Indy.

How high? Well, that’s the real question, but McShay doesn’t see any problem in projecting him all the way up to third overall.

Only two teams have ever placed four players in the Top-10 of any draft before, but none recently.

Notre Dame had Frank Dancewicz (1st), Johnny Lujack (4th), George Connor (5th) and Emil Sitko (10th) selected in 1946, while Michigan State did even better in 1967 with Bubba Smith (1st), Clint Jones (2nd), George Webster (5th) and Gene Washington (8th).

Ohio State already leads all schools with most first-rounders all-time (95), would then be the third program ever to send four draft prospects in a Top-10 of any draft, if things play out as McShay thinks.

Whatever the outcome is when the draft starts in April, Ohio State will be very well represented in the first round.