With the NFL Scouting Combine now complete, it’s time for another look at where Ohio State’s draft prospects are projected to be selected.
The combine tends to reshape draft projections not only because of the workouts that happen on the field, but also the conversations that NFL team representatives have with each other and with media members in Indianapolis. How a player performs in workouts and interviews with teams and his weigh-in measurables can move his draft stock up or down, while combine week often produces a flood of rumors about what each team could do in the draft.
With that in mind, we’ve surveyed the Internet for a variety of mock drafts updated over the past week to get an idea of where each of Ohio State’s likely draft picks are projected to be selected following the combine.
The post-combine seven-round mock drafts we found unanimously agree that Ohio State will have 15 players drafted, which would tie Georgia’s record for the most players selected in a seven-round draft.
Josh Simmons and Emeka Egbuka are Ohio State’s most widely projected first-round picks, with Donovan Jackson drawing a mix of first- and second-round projections. Tyleik Williams, JT Tuimoloau, Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson are all widely projected to be second-round picks, and all but two of Ohio State’s 15 combine participants are projected to be a third-round pick or better in at least one mock.
This edition of the mock draft roundup includes projections from each of the following 21 mock drafts, which include three seven-round mock drafts, three three-round mock drafts, four two-round mock drafts and 11 single-round mocks:
Players are listed in order of their average draft projection in the mocks in which they are listed. The plus/minus next to each player’s average indicates whether their average has improved or fallen since our February mock draft roundup.
OT Josh Simmons
Round 1, No. 10, Chicago Bears: 3 (Valentino, Weissman, Zierlein)
Round 1, No. 14, Indianapolis Colts: Decker
Round 1, No. 18, Seattle Seahawks: 2 (Infante, Tankathon)
Round 1, No. 23, Green Bay Packers: Davis
Round 1, No. 25, Houston Texans: Sikkema
Round 1, No. 26, Los Angeles Rams: Trapasso
Round 1, No. 27, Baltimore Ravens: 2 (Iyer, Wilson)
Round 1, No. 29, Washington Commanders: 3 (Brugler, Crabbs, Draft Tek)
Round 1, No. 31, Kansas City Chiefs: 5 (Acosta, B/R, Cummings, Dragon, Reid)
Round 2, No. 35, Tennessee Titans: Brown
Average Draft Projection: 24.25 (-1.5)
Simmons is a near-unanimous first-round pick, appearing in the first round of all but two of the 21 mock drafts included in this roundup, after revealing last week that he is “way ahead of schedule” in his recovery from the torn patellar tendon that ended his final season at Ohio State.
As one of this year’s top prospects at one of the draft’s most valued positions, Simmons is projected to go as high as the 10th pick to the Chicago Bears, who could be in the market for a first-round left tackle even after trading for veteran offensive linemen Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson this past week.
A majority of mock drafts have Simmons going in the second half of the first round, but just two have him falling past the Kansas City Chiefs, who need two new starters on the left side of the offensive line after trading Thuney.
WR Emeka Egbuka
Round 1, No. 12, Dallas Cowboys: Acosta
Round 1, No. 20, Denver Broncos: Iyer
Round 1, No. 21, Pittsburgh Steelers: 2 (Crabbs, Decker)
Round 1, No. 22, Los Angeles Chargers: Draft Tek
Round 1, No. 25, Houston Texans: 6 (B/R, Davis, Dragon, Tankathon, Yahoo, Valentino)
Round 1, No. 26, Los Angeles Rams: 3 (Brugler, Infante, Reid)
Round 2, No. 39, Chicago Bears: Brown
Round 2, No. 41, Chicago Bears: Cummings
Average Draft Projection: 25.25 (-2)
Egbuka is projected as a first-round pick in exactly two-thirds of the mock drafts in this roundup, reflecting his status as a likely but not necessarily guaranteed day-one choice.
The most popular projection for Egbuka has him catching passes from C.J. Stroud in Houston. That projection might be somewhat less likely after the Texans’ trade this week for veteran receiver Christian Kirk, though it’s still an option they could consider with Stefon Diggs set to hit free agency and Tank Dell expected to miss the 2025 season.
If Egbuka makes it past the Texans, another popular projection has him going just one pick later to the Los Angeles Rams, who are expected to draft a wide receiver early with Cooper Kupp on the trade block.
RELATED Emeka Egbuka Credits Competition Among Ohio State Receivers, Coaching from Brian Hartline with Developing Him Into Likely First-Round NFL Draft Pick
OL Donovan Jackson
Round 1, No. 18, Seattle Seahawks: Dragon
Round 1, No. 25, Houston Texans: 2 (Cummings, Trapasso)
Round 1, No. 27, Baltimore Ravens: Yahoo
Round 1, No. 28, Detroit Lions: 3 (Acosta, Davis, Decker)
Round 1, No. 32, Philadelphia Eagles: Wilson
Round 2, No. 38, New England Patriots: 2 (Crabbs, Tankathon)
Round 2, No. 39, Chicago Bears: 2 (Infante, Reid)
Round 2, No. 41, Chicago Bears: B/R
Round 2, No. 50, Seattle Seahawks: Brown
Round 2, No. 59, Baltimore Ravens: Draft Tek
Average Draft Projection: 34.3 (-2.9)
Jackson sits on the borderline between being a first- and second-round pick. He lands in Round 1 in only eight of the 21 mock drafts included in this roundup, but every mock that includes at least two rounds agrees that Jackson will come off the board no later than the second round.
Popular projected landing spots for Jackson, who told reporters at the combine that most teams are looking at him as a guard even though he excelled at left tackle in Ohio State’s College Football Playoff run, include the Texans, Detroit Lions and Bears. Being drafted by the Texans would not only be a reunion with Stroud to give the former Ohio State quarterback some much-needed pass protection help, but also a homecoming for Jackson, who grew up in Houston.
RELATED Donovan Jackson’s Effectiveness at Offensive Tackle May Have Turned Him into a First-Round NFL Draft Pick
DT Tyleik Williams
Round 1, No. 28, Detroit Lions: Iyer
Round 1, No. 30, Buffalo Bills: Cummings
Round 2, No. 36, Jacksonville Jaguars: Acosta
Round 2, No. 38, New England Patriots: Brown
Round 2, No. 41, Chicago Bears: 2 (Draft Tek, Infante)
Round 2, No. 42, New York Jets: Decker
Round 2, No. 46, Atlanta Falcons: Tankathon
Round 2, No. 47, Arizona Cardinals: Valentino
Round 2, No. 52, Pittsburgh Steelers: B/R
Round 2, No. 63, Kansas City Chiefs: Reid
Average Draft Projection: 42.2 (-6.5)
Despite his impressive showing in defensive tackle drills at the combine, Williams is drawing fewer first-round draft projections now than he was a month ago. Like Jackson, though, Williams is comfortably projected to be at least a second-round pick, appearing as a first- or second-round pick of every mock in this roundup that includes at least two rounds.
DE JT Tuimoloau
Round 1, No. 28, Detroit Lions: Yahoo
Round 2, No. 39, Chicago Bears: Cummings
Round 2, No. 49, Cincinnati Bengals: Reid
Round 2, No. 51, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Crabbs
Round 2, No. 53, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: B/R
Round 2, No. 54, Green Bay Packers: 2 (Infante, Tankathon)
Round 2, No. 58, Houston Texans: Draft Tek
Round 2, No. 60, Detroit Lions: Brown
Round 3, No. 67, Cleveland Browns: Decker
Average Draft Projection: 51.3 (-5)
Tuimoloau is also a consensus choice to be a second-round pick, appearing in Round 2 in eight of the 10 mock drafts in this roundup that include at least two rounds. While Yahoo Sports’ most recent mock draft has the Lions drafting Tuimoloau in Round 1 to pair him with former Michigan star Aidan Hutchinson, the more likely scenario right now appears to be Tuimoloau going early on Day 2.
Potential landing spots that show up in multiple mock drafts for Tuimoloau include the Lions, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Green Bay Packers, who would also form a Michigan/Ohio State defensive end tandem if they drafted JT by pairing him with Rashan Gary.
RB Quinshon Judkins
Round 2, No. 33, Cleveland Browns: Brown
Round 2, No. 39, Chicago Bears: Decker
Round 2, No. 44, Dallas Cowboys: Reid
Round 2, No. 51, Denver Broncos: Cummings
Round 2, No. 52, Pittsburgh Steelers: Infante
Round 2, No. 53, Pittsburgh Steelers: Crabbs
Round 3, No. 63, Kansas City Chiefs : Tankathon
Round 3, No. 73, Las Vegas Raiders: B/R
Round 3, No. 85, Denver Broncos: Draft Tek
Average Draft Projection: 54.8 (+9)
Judkins’ draft stock is on the rise after a spectacular combine showing in which he ran a 4.48-second 40-yard dash at 221 pounds and led all running backs with an 11-foot broad jump. While he doesn’t draw any first-round projections in this roundup, a majority of multi-round mock drafts now have Judkins coming off the board in Round 2.
The most optimistic projection has Judkins leading off Round 2 and staying in Ohio with the Cleveland Browns, who need a new running back with Nick Chubb expected to leave in free agency. Another popular projection has Judkins heading to Pittsburgh, whose incumbent starter Najee Harris is also set to hit free agency.
RB TreVeyon Henderson
Round 2, No. 33, Cleveland Browns: Reid
Round 2, No. 37, Las Vegas Raiders: Decker
Round 2, No. 44, Dallas Cowboys: Tankathon
Round 2, No. 51, Denver Broncos: Acosta
Round 2, No. 62, Buffalo Bills: Crabbs
Round 2, No. 63, Kansas City Chiefs: Brown
Round 3, No. 66, Kansas City Chiefs: Cummings
Round 3, No. 67, Cleveland Browns: Infante
Round 3, No. 76, Dallas Cowboys: B/R
Round 3, No. 82, Seattle Seahawks: Draft Tek
Average Draft Projection: 58.1 (+14.3)
Like Judkins, Henderson’s draft stock is also on the rise after they were two of the only Buckeyes to run the 40 at the combine, with Henderson running an impressive time of 4.43 seconds. As with Judkins, Henderson appears as a second-round pick in six of the 10 mocks in this roundup that includes at least two rounds, while he’s projected as a third-round pick in each of the other mocks that include at least three rounds.
Also like Judkins, Henderson’s most optimistic projection has him going to the Browns as the first pick of Round 2. Other projected landing spots for Henderson in multiple mock drafts include the Dallas Cowboys, who need a new running back after parting ways with former Ohio State star Ezekiel Elliott, and the Kansas City Chiefs, where he’d be one of the NFL’s most dynamic offenses even more explosive.
RELATED Ohio State Running Backs Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson Boost Draft Stock With Prolific Showing at NFL Combine
DE Jack Sawyer
Round 2, No. 49, Cincinnati Bengals: Tankathon
Round 2, No. 50, Seattle Seahawks: Infante
Round 2, No. 56, Buffalo Bills: Brown
Round 2, No. 60, Detroit Lions: Decker
Round 3, No. 67, Cleveland Browns: Draft Tek
Round 3, No. 71, New Orleans Saints: B/R
Round 4, No. 118, Cincinnati Bengals: Cummings
Average Draft Projection: 67.3 (-29.2)
The combine’s biggest loser in terms of draft stock appears to be Sawyer, who was unanimously projected to be either a first- or second-round pick in the February roundup but is now projected to fall out of Round 2 in a majority of multi-round mock drafts. Sawyer’s arm length measurement at the combine is likely the driving factor behind that drop, as his arm length of 31 3/4” ranks in the third percentile for all edge defenders at the combine in the last 20 years.
Three of the seven projections for Sawyer in this roundup have the Pickerington native staying in the state of Ohio. Both his highest and lowest projections have him going to the Cincinnati Bengals, who have a major need at defensive end with Sam Hubbard’s retirement and Trey Hendrickson seeking a trade.
CB Denzel Burke
Round 3, No. 73, Las Vegas Raiders: Infante
Round 3, No. 73, New York Jets: Cummings
Round 3, No. 77, New England Patriots: Draft Tek
Average Draft Projection: 74.3 (+8.7)
Although Burke doesn’t appear in any of the mocks in this roundup that include three rounds or fewer, all three seven-round mock drafts have him going in the first half of Round 3. Burke boosted his chances of being a Day 2 pick with a strong combine workout that included a 4.48-second 40 time, but he still isn’t drawing any projections in the first two rounds right now.
QB Will Howard
Round 2, No. 37, Las Vegas Raiders: B/R
Round 3, No. 68, Las Vegas Raiders: 2 (Decker, Draft Tek)
Round 4, No. 122, Pittsburgh Steelers: Infante
Round 4, No. 130, New Orleans Saints: Cummings
Average Draft Projection: 85 (+6.4)
Despite an up-and-down combine workout in which his missed throws drew plenty of scrutiny, Howard’s average draft projection has gone up since February. That’s largely thanks to Bleacher Report‘s projection that Howard will be a second-round pick, though each of the other multi-round mock drafts in this roundup have him falling to Round 3 or later.
Each of the three mock drafts in this roundup that have Howard going on Day 2 have him reuniting with former Ohio State offensive coordinator Chip Kelly by going to the Las Vegas Raiders. That’s probably less likely now than it was when those mocks were published earlier in the week, however, as the Raiders traded for Seattle Seahawks starting quarterback Geno Smith on Friday.
S Lathan Ransom
Round 3, No. 97, Minnesota Vikings: Decker
Round 4, No. 108, Buffalo Bills: Cummings
Round 4, No. 110, Carolina Panthers: Infante
Round 5, No. 146, New York Jets: Draft Tek
Average Draft Projection: 115.25 (-12.75)
While Ransom drew three third-round projections in our previous mock draft roundup, he’s projected as a third-round pick in just one of six mocks in this roundup that include at least three rounds. At worst, though, Ransom is projected to be selected in the first two rounds of Day 3.
CB Jordan Hancock
Round 3, No. 97, Minnesota Vikings: Cummings
Round 4, No. 137, Seattle Seahawks: Draft Tek
Round 5, No. 171, Buffalo Bills: Infante
Average Draft Projection: 135 (-5.5)
Like Ransom, Hancock draws one third-round projection to the Vikings but is otherwise projected to be a Day 3 draft selection.
C Seth McLaughlin
Round 3, No. 86, Los Angeles Chargers: B/R
Round 5, No. 173, Seattle Seahawks: Infante
Round 5, No. 177, Los Angeles Chargers: Cummings
Round 6, No. 183, Los Angeles Chargers: Draft Tek
Average Draft Projection: 154.75 (-5.25)
While McLaughlin landed a third-round projection in Bleacher Report’s latest mock draft, the consensus among the most recent seven-round mock drafts is that McLaughlin will be a late fifth- or early sixth-round choice.
Three of the four mock drafts in this roundup that include McLaughlin have him going to play for Jim Harbaugh’s Los Angeles Chargers, who could be in the market for a new center with 2024 starter Bradley Bozeman set to hit free agency.
DT Ty Hamilton
Round 5, No. 148, San Francisco 49ers: Draft Tek
Round 5, No. 148, Washington Commanders: Infante
Round 6, No. 212, Seattle Seahawks: Cummings
Average Draft Projection: 169.3 (-6.3)
Projected to be selected with exactly the 148th overall pick in two different mock drafts – one of which was published before the Washington Commanders traded that pick to the San Francisco 49ers for Deebo Samuel, and one of which was published after – Hamilton’s consensus projection remains in the middle of Day 3 even after he was one of the most impressive defensive tackles in position drills at the combine.
LB Cody Simon
Round 5, No. 165, Cleveland Browns: Infante
Round 7, No. 230, Detroit Lions: 2 (Cummings, Draft Tek)
Average Draft Projection: 208.3 (-12.3)
Although he is currently projected to be drafted last among Ohio State’s 15 combine participants, Simon is included in all three of the seven-round mock drafts we found for this roundup. The most optimistic of those projections has Simon heading to Northeast Ohio to bolster the Browns’ linebacker depth, while the other two projections have Simon heading to the state up north to join the Lions.