Where will Ohio State's top prospects go in NFL draft? Breaking down best-case scenarios
Bill RabinowitzOne Ohio State player will be taken quite early in the draft. But after wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. goes among the top handful of selections, most likely to the Arizona Cardinals with the fourth pick, it figures to be an extended wait for the next Buckeye will be taken.
Defensive tackle Michael Hall Jr. is considered the most likely OSU player to be picked after Harrison, though tight end Cade Stover has an outside chance to go next.
Linebacker Tommy Eichenberg figures to be a mid-round selection with others going later or not at all.
Here’s a look at the best-case scenarios for Ohio State prospects in the NFL draft:
WR Marvin Harrison Jr. draft projection: Best-case scenario
Marvin Harrison might be the best player in the NFL draft. But this is a year in which being the best player won’t result in him being the top overall pick unless the Chicago Bears shock everyone and don’t take Southern California quarterback Caleb Williams.
Conventional wisdom is that the Washington Commanders and New England Patriots, who are both in need of a quarterback, will also take one.
But the NFL draft is always unpredictable, and there’s a chance a trade might shuffle the deck at the top of the draft and cause Harrison to go higher than expected. Unlikely, yes. But possible.
One gambling site, BetOnline, has Harrison a 100/1 shot to go No. 2 and 25/1 to go No. 3. That would be higher than expected No. 4 slot to Arizona that Harrison is expected to be taken. BetOnline has odds on Harrison going to the Cardinals at 2/5.
TE Cade Stover draft projection: Best-case scenario
Cade Stover was likely to enter the draft last year. But he injured his back early in Ohio State’s College Football Playoff semifinal loss to Georgia and decided to come back for a fifth season as a Buckeye.
It paid off. Stover had another banner season, catching 41 passes for 576 yards and five scores to become the most prolific pass-catcher as a tight end for Ohio State in three decades.
The success is more impressive considering it took Stover years to find a positional home. He started his career as a defensive end and also played linebacker, most notably in the 2022 Rose Bowl. But he switched permanently to tight end after that game.
Stover is projected as a mid-round pick and it’s likely that the third round is the best-case scenario. He is a willing but unpolished blocker, so the team that takes him will do so more for his receiving ability. The expectation is that with experience Stover’s blocking will improve.
LB Tommy Eichenberg draft projection: Best-case scenario
Tommy Eichenberg has been the unquestioned leader of the Ohio State defense the past two years. He’s a leader by example, not words. Eichenberg finished the last two seasons with injuries that would have sidelined most players. He played despite a dislocated elbow against Michigan in 2023.
Eichenberg is slotted as a middle-to-late-round draft pick by my draft analysts. He is considered a first- and second-down linebacker because he doesn’t have ideal speed and has struggled in pass coverage.
But he could go as early as the third round if a team is enamored with his ability to play the run, defensive instincts, toughness and character. Eichenberg is the type of player and person that coaches and general managers want on their team.
If teams are willing to overlook that he might not have the raw speed of a prototypical linebacker but compensates with his football knowledge, he could hear his name called earlier than expected.
DT Mike Hall Jr. draft projection: Best-case scenario
Hall is undersized and was slowed by injuries during his Ohio State career. That’s the reason he’s not considered a first-round pick.
The best-case scenario for Hall is that he is selected in the second round of the draft as the next Ohio State player taken after Marvin Harrison Jr.
Despite his size and injury history, Hall is a coveted prospect because he has a burst off the snap that’s rare for a defensive tackle. No one should be compared to the recently retired Aaron Donald, who’s a lock for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. But Ohio State teammates referenced Donald when talking about Hall, even early in his career.
Hall might not be an every-down player right away in the NFL, but a player who can be as disruptive as he is are coveted. That’s why Hall is likely to become the second Buckeye taken.
LB Steele Chambers draft projection: Best-case scenario
Chambers is considered a late-round pick. The best-case scenario for him would be to go in the fourth or fifth round.
Chambers’ calling card is his speed. He’s a converted running back, and even as he has bulked up after switching to linebacker, Chambers has retained that attribute. Even when he was extremely raw as a linebacker, Chambers’ speed stood out, as did his willingness to throw his body around.
Chambers’ potential on special teams also could help his draft stock.
G Matt Jones draft projection: Best-case scenario
The best-case scenario for Jones is that he’s drafted earlier than the seventh round.
Jones played six years for the Buckeyes, mostly as a backup. He was recruited as a highly coveted center but played most of his career at right guard for Ohio State.
He did play center in his final college game in the Cotton Bowl, so his versatility could be enticing to NFL teams seeking offensive line depth.
S Josh Proctor draft projection: Best-case scenario
Josh Proctor had one of the more unusual Ohio State careers. He was tabbed as a potential star as early as his freshman season because of his speed and hard tackling. But he broke his leg early in the 2021 season and lost his starting job after the opener in 2022.
But Proctor decided to return for a sixth season and resurrected his career by playing solidly for an elite Ohio State defense.
That final season could make Proctor a higher draft pick than some expect. Most analysts expect him to be a late-round pick. But he could go as early as the fourth round if a team is fond of his combination of speed and hitting ability.
WR Xavier Johnson draft projection: Best-case scenario
Johnson is a former walk-on from Cincinnati who developed into an invaluable Swiss Army Knife-type player for Ohio State. Used as a receiver or running back, Johnson produced in either spot, outshining many players with more gaudy pedigrees entering college.
Still, it would be a mild surprise if Johnson is drafted. It would not, however, be a shock if he makes an NFL team. At the very least, he’ll be a coveted free agent.
RB Miyan Williams draft projection: Best-case scenario
The best-case scenario for Miyan Williams is if an NFL team overlooks his injury history and lack of breakaway speed and takes a chance by using a seventh-round pick on him.
Williams’ final season at Ohio State ended early because of a knee injury that prevented him from working out for NFL teams pre-draft. But when he was healthy at Ohio State, he was productive. He shared time with TreVeyon Henderson and showed a knack for running between the tackles. He’s capable of breaking tackles and has good balance and runs with toughness.