Ohio State NFL Draft Dominance Is Becoming the New Normal

On The Joel Klatt Show, the host and Fox Sports lead analyst didn’t dance around it when the conversation turned to the Ohio State Buckeyes success at sending players to the National Football League.

“The NFL factory of college football is Ohio State,” Klatt stated emphatically. “That’s just a fact.”

It comes off blunt, but it doesn’t feel like much of a debate right now. Turn on the draft, and it feels like Ohio State is on the screen every few minutes.

Over the last two NFL Drafts, the Buckeyes have produced eight first-round picks. Fourteen players have gone in the first two rounds. Twenty-five total selections in that stretch ties an all-time mark for a program across back-to-back drafts.

“That’s wild. That’s staggering,” Klatt said.

And it is. But it also lines up with what’s been building in Columbus.

Klatt pointed to what head coach Ryan Day has put together, in not just stacking talent, but developing it quickly enough that even players with limited starting experience are ready when their moment comes.

“The school turning out the most talent for the NFL right now lives in Columbus,” Klatt said. “They are rolling.”

How Buckeyes dominate NFL Draft every year

You can see it in how fast guys are moving. Some aren’t even long-term starters, and they’re still landing early in the draft. That says a lot about just how prepared they are when they leave.

And this isn’t a one-off run. “It’s not going to stop,” Klatt said.

If anything, the next wave might already be in place. Ohio State has had a wide receiver taken in the first round in five straight drafts, and Klatt made it clear that he doesn’t expect that streak to end anytime soon.

Most of the "Way too Early" mock drafts have at least two Ohio State players listed in the first round. Some have upwards of five with Jeremiah Smith, Julian Sayin, Brandon Inniss, Kenyatta Jackson Jr., and Austin Siereveld predicted to go early.

“Jeremiah Smith doesn’t even have to play next year,” Klatt said. “He’s going to be a top-five pick.”

That’s the standard now. For the Buckeyes, it’s not just about winning games and championships. For Ryan Day and staff, it's about finding the right student-athletes and through hard work and development, placing them on a path to get to the next level.

Right now, nobody is doing that better than the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Add us as a preferred source on Google