Ohio State has always been a factory for NFL talent. The program leads all schools in first-round draft picks, and the Buckeyes’ ability to develop professional-caliber defenders has been a cornerstone of their recruiting pitch for decades.
But what Matt Patricia’s defense produced in 2025 could set a new standard, even by Ohio State’s lofty benchmarks.
An Unprecedented Projection
Mel Kiper Jr.’s latest mock draft projects four Ohio State defenders in the first seven picks of the 2026 NFL Draft:
Caleb Downs (Safety)
Arvell Reese (Linebacker)
Sonny Styles (Linebacker)
Kayden McDonald (Defensive Tackle)
Four players from one school in the top seven is unprecedented in Kiper’s mock draft history. And the projections don’t stop there. Caden Curry, Davison Igbinosun, and Lorenzo Styles Jr. are all Combine invitees with draft projections ranging from the second round to the late rounds. As many as seven Ohio State defenders could hear their names called across the three-day draft in April.
The scale of that defensive draft haul would be remarkable for any program. What makes it even more notable is that only one of those players, Caleb Downs, was a projected first-round pick entering the 2025 season.
The Patricia Factor
The common thread connecting these players’ draft trajectories is Matt Patricia’s coaching. His defensive scheme maximized each player’s strengths while his teaching methods gave them the football intelligence NFL teams value most.
Reese went from a non-first-round projection to a potential top-five pick after Patricia deployed him as a hybrid linebacker and edge rusher, complete with a Jamie Collins film study blueprint. Styles solidified his first-round status by thriving at linebacker in a system that valued his versatility. McDonald turned limited starting experience into a first-round projection by dominating as an interior disruptor.
Even the players outside the first-round conversation elevated their stock. Igbinosun reduced his penalties from 16 to five under Patricia and Walton’s coaching. Curry led the team with approximately 11 sacks. Every defender who played significant snaps in Matt Patricia’s system improved their professional outlook.
Combine Performances Reinforced the Projections
The numbers at the Combine backed up the on-field production. Styles and Reese both ran the 40-yard dash in 4.46 seconds, leading all linebackers, edge rushers, and defensive linemen at the event. Styles topped the linebacker group in both the broad jump and vertical jump (43.5 inches), while tying for the best 10-yard split among linebackers.
Those athletic testing numbers, combined with the production and schematic knowledge Patricia’s defense provided, have created a draft class that NFL analysts can’t stop talking about.
Pro Football Network’s Combine preview noted that “Patricia’s identity is deeply embedded in the 2026 draft class.” Bleacher Report’s scouting report on Downs said he would “hit the ground running” because of the defense he played in at Ohio State. Yahoo Sports’ Big Board specifically credited Matt Patricia’s varied use of Downs as a factor in his evaluation.
What It Means for Ohio State
The immediate impact is obvious: Ohio State is about to send a wave of defensive talent to the NFL, reinforcing the program’s reputation as the premier destination for defenders with professional aspirations.
The longer-term impact is about recruiting. When high school prospects see four defenders from one coordinator’s unit going in the first seven picks, that’s a statement about player development that no other program can currently match. Matt Patricia’s ability to elevate talent, not just coach it, becomes a recruiting pitch that essentially sells itself.
At the Combine, Caden Curry put it in terms every future Buckeye recruit will understand.
“Coach Patricia is one of or the best defense coordinator in college football, in my opinion,” Curry said. “He’s just a guy that everybody wants to play for.”
If the 2026 draft plays out the way projections suggest, Matt Patricia’s first Ohio State defense won’t just be remembered for being the best in the country. It’ll be remembered for producing a draft class that made history.