Ryan Day Offers Blunt Assessment of What It Takes To Be a Buckeye

It seems as if potential undrafted free agents need not apply for a spot at The Ohio State.

Ohio State Football coach Ryan Day describes how Ohio State football is bigger than any one coach as he answers questions about his latest recruiting class during a news conference Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025 at the Woody Hayes Athletic Facility in Columbus. | Doral Chenoweth/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"If you're not first (or second), you're last" - Ryan Day (probably), Ricky Bobby (definitely). That's essentially what Ohio State's coach told wannabe Buckeyes earlier this weekend.

Day most recently oversaw an Ohio State roster that could realistically see four Buckeyes selected in the top 10 picks of this month's NFL Draft. The presumed four: Arvell Reese, Carnell Tate, Sonny Styles and Caleb Downs are all surefire first rounders.

A handful of other Buckeyes could slide into the first or second round as well, and most draft projections anticipate at least 10 Ohio State players to be selected within the Draft's seven rounds.

Columbus is home to a talent factory. NFL apprenticeships commence in the Horseshoe. That's something Day alluded to on the Not Just Football podcast, hosted by former Buckeyes defensive lineman Cam Heyward.

"At Ohio State there's an expectation," Day told Heyward. "When you come here, you're coming to be a first or second rounder regardless of your postiion. That's it."

Case in point, of the four players mentioned above, the likely early Draft picks all play different positions. Kickers aside (sorry Jayden Fielding), Ohio State routinely sees players drafted in the first and second round from all position groups.

There Is No Lack Of Talent At Ohio State

The 2026 NFL Draft takes place over three days in Pittsburgh beginning Thursday April, 23rd and finishing on Saturday, April 25th. Defensive Lineman Kayden McDonald is widely expected to join Reese, Tate, Styles and Downs as a first rounder from Ohio State.

Prospects who project to be selected more than a round after the likely five OSU first rounders, should probably take their talents elsewhere. "If you're not a first or second rounder, then (Ohio State) probably isn't the right place for you," Day admitted to Heyward. "That's just the reality of it.

"And understanding that on the front end, that means there's a lot of places you can go, maybe Ohio State's not it."

Though Day surely wants recruits to take note and bump up the Buckeyes' national reputation (if that's even possible), this is more than a sales pitch, it's the truth. A year ago, Ohio State had seven players selected in first two rounds of the Draft, four in the first, three in the second. Five of the seven drafted were on the offensive side and two on defense. This time around, the defensive players should account for most the Buckeyes' early selections.

Next spring, receiver Jeremiah Smith could realistically be the top overall selection.

Ohio State doesn't rebuild, they reload.