Where Ohio State's top three prospects will be selected in the 2026 NFL Draft

In the 2025 NFL draft, Ohio State was the most represented program, with 14 Buckeyes selected.

This year, while Ohio State is unlikely to lead all schools in total draftees, it could have three Buckeyes taken within the first 10 picks.

Safety Caleb Downs, linebacker Arvell Reese and wide receiver Carnell Tate have all declared for the NFL draft and are all widely regarded among the top players at their positions.

With all three regarded as early draft picks, here are predictions for where the Buckeye standouts will be selected.

With the No. 5 pick, the New York Giants select LB Arvell Reese

Reese had a breakout season with the Buckeyes, finishing with 69 total tackles and 6.5 sacks. The junior linebacker had a strong start to the year before tapering off in the latter half of the season, however, he did finish strong in his final game against Miami in the Cotton Bowl.

The Giants had a strong draft in 2025, most notably drafting potential franchise quarterback Jaxson Dart from Ole Miss and running back Cam Skattebo from Arizona State.

With New York taking star wide receiver Malik Nabers in the 2024 draft, their offense has seen a huge boost, opening the door for a strong defensive draft in 2026.

Selecting Reese would give the Giants a chance to start the draft strong by taking what many view as not only the best linebacker available but also the best defensive prospect. Reese is a multifaceted player and pairing him alongside veteran linebackers Brian Burns and Bobby Okereke would give the Giants one of the leagues strongest linebacker corps.

Reese could also act as a future replacement for Okereke, who is in the final year of his contract with the Giants.

With the No. 6 pick, the Cleveland Browns select WR Carnell Tate

Last season, the Cleveland Browns struggled heavily on offense. Two rookie quarterbacks, Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders, saw the majority of starts behind a bruised and battered offensive line that rarely gave either passer a chance to breathe.

While taking an offensive lineman would be a simple choice, the Browns should take a chance early in the draft to fix another struggling unit: the wide receiver room.

Tate looks to be yet another top-tier wide receiver produced by Ohio State and Brian Hartline to be represented in the NFL, joining the likes of Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Emeka Egbuka and Garrett Wilson. Cleveland desperately needs a true No. 1 wide receiver after Jerry Jeudy’s regression from 2024 form and Cedric Tillman’s lack of proof as a viable pass-catching option.

With all the high-end talent Tate has been surrounded by in his three years as a Buckeye, he will be the most NFL-ready pass catcher in the draft and would be a fantastic addition to a struggling Browns offense.

With the No. 10 pick, the Cincinnati Bengals select S Caleb Downs

The Cincinnati Bengals were practically complete opposites of the Browns, with a high-powered offense and a bottom-ranked defense. The Bengals allowed an average of 382 yards per game, the second-highest in the NFL, and an average of 235 passing yards per game, No. 26 in the league.

The easiest fix for Cincinnati would be to take Downs 10th overall. The junior safety would allow the Bengals to bolster their secondary with another high-level safety and add a foundational piece for a rebuilding defense.

Downs would join strong safety Jordan Battle in the secondary, who came off a career breakout year in his third season in the NFL. The Buckeye would give Cincinnati much-needed insurance over the top and could also be trusted as a coverage defender when dropping down.