From first-round surprises to shocking falls, the Buckeyes tied for the second-most picks in college football history while nearly shattering program records
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JANUARY 20: Will Howard #18 and head coach Ryan Day of the Ohio State Buckeyes celebrate after beating the Notre Dame Fighting Irish 34-23 in the 2025 CFP National Championship at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 20, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia.
“14, 14 guys drafted. And Stefan, here’s some numbers for you. 11 of the 14 went in the first 150 NFL Draft picks,” noted Stephen Means on the latest Buckeye Talk podcast, highlighting just how remarkable the haul was. This mammoth draft class tied for the second-most picks ever in college football history, matching LSU and trailing only Georgia’s 15 selections in 2022. More importantly, it tied Ohio State’s own program record previously set in 2004. But within these numbers lies a story of surprises, both pleasant and shocking. Perhaps no player better exemplifies the unpredictable nature of the draft than Seth McLaughlin, the Remington Award-winning center who, despite projections as a mid-round selection, went completely undrafted. “I am still surprised he didn’t get drafted,” Stefan Krajisnik remarked. “We all had him... well, like 5th roundish I thought. I thought definitely someone would have taken a flyer on him like sixth or seventh round.” McLaughlin’s Achilles injury in November likely played a significant role in his draft-day slide, turning what could have been a record-breaking class into merely a record-tying one. The timing of the injury—occurring late in the season—meant NFL teams would potentially need to wait until 2026 to see him fully healthy. The draft also featured dramatic swings in both directions for Ohio State defenders. Cody Simon, a linebacker who showcased versatility and athleticism in the second half of the season, shot up draft boards to become a fourth-round selection by the Arizona Cardinals —significantly higher than most projections. Meanwhile, defensive end Jack Sawyer, once considered a potential day-two pick, slid to the fourth round where the Pittsburgh Steelers snagged him with the 123rd selection. As Stephen and Stefan discussed, this reversal perfectly illustrates the NFL’s evolving priorities. “Jack going in the fourth round was a bit of a shocker because you thought he would go higher. Cody going in the fourth round was a bit of a shocker because you thought he would go lower,” Means observed. The podcast hosts theorized that this discrepancy reflects the NFL’s growing emphasis on athletic traits over production metrics. Simon’s explosiveness as a blitzer, particularly evident during the College Football Playoff, seemingly resonated with NFL scouts more than Sawyer’s consistent but less flashy production. The 2025 draft also highlighted position changes that may impact future Buckeyes. Jack Sawyer, drafted as an outside linebacker despite playing defensive end at Ohio State, exemplifies how scheme versatility can affect draft status—sometimes negatively when players are projected to unfamiliar roles. What’s clear from this historic draft class is that Ohio State’s player development system continues to produce elite NFL talent across positions. From offensive linemen to running backs, defensive players to quarterbacks, the Buckeyes’ pipeline to the pros remains unmatched in both quality and quantity. Want to hear more about Ohio State’s historic draft class, including detailed breakdowns of each pick and Stefan and Stephen’s analysis of the biggest surprises? Listen to the full Buckeye Talk podcast episode for deeper insights into this remarkable achievement and what it means for the program moving forward.Ohio State football’s ‘blueprint’ for running back success was validated by the 2025 NFL DraftNote: Artificial intelligence was used to help generate this story from the Buckeye Talk Podcast by cleveland.com. Visitors to cleveland.com have asked for more text stories based on website podcast discussions. If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation.and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our
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