Three Ohio State Buckeyes That Could Be Drafted Higher Than Expected

There’s just one more football game to play in the 2025-’26 NFL season, and that means all other 30 teams are deep in their research for the upcoming free agency period and draft preparations.

Mock drafts are being published left and right, and the overwhelming majority of them include a high number of Ohio State Buckeyes hearing their names called out from the stage during the three-day event.

Let’s take a look at three Ohio State prospects that could surprisingly be selected higher than what their current draft projections suggest:

Kayden McDonald, defensive tackle

There’s little doubt that the interior lineman will get picked in the opening round, but he’s currently being pegged in the mid-twenties by several well-known analysts, including a significant number sending him to the Chicago Bears at 25.

While the Bears are clearly one of the clubs that could benefit the most from a proven run-stopper who can be plugged in right away, judging from their rushing defensive stats in 2025, a few teams picking in the teens could be very interested in McDonald, including the Baltimore Ravens at 14, Minnesota Vikings at 18 and Carolina Panthers at 19.

Baltimore is still reeling from Michael Pierce’s retirement a year ago, while Minnesota and Carolina could use McDonald -- a unanimous All-American and Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year in 2025 -- to replace either Javon Hargrave or A’Shawn Robinson, both potential cap casualties.

Max Klare, tight end

Klare has been commonly projected as a third-rounder for some time. While the transfer from Purdue didn’t exactly set the world on fire during his lone season in Columbus, his numbers are pretty decent with 43 catches for 448 yards and two touchdowns, which isn’t a huge drop from his last season with the Boilermakers when he caught 51 balls for 685 yards and four touchdowns without having to share targets with Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate. Klare still made first-team All-Big Ten in 2025.

But in a very weak year for tight ends, Klare could see his name being handed in the middle-to-end of the second round, after Oregon’s Kenyon Sadiq likely goes towards the tail end of the first round.

Look for teams missing out on free agents like Kyle Pitts, Dallas Goedert and Isiah Likely among the interested parties.

Caden Curry, defensive end

Curry led Ohio State with 11 sacks in 2025, the only Buckeye with a double-digit output. While his fellow end Kenyatta Jackson Jr. decided to return for school one more year -- after being projected higher than Curry -- a fourth round projection seems like a good starting point for No. 92.

Despite some size concerns, and the fact that Curry -- a first-team All-Big Ten selection in 2025 -- doesn’t seem to be as scheme versatile as other prospects, he still possesses a relentless motor and high quality technique, allowing him to overcome some of those perceived limitations.

Curry could sneak into the third round if a team thinks he’s a good enough fit to what they’re already running on defense. Expect the 3-4 teams to take a harder look at Curry than the 4-3 clubs.