COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — The 2026 NFL Draft is now in the history books and after 257 picks were announced in Pittsburgh, all fans can think about is seeing these new rookies take the field.
And for a second straight year, over 10 Buckeyes players will enter the NFL as rookies with a handful having the weight of expectations to perform in year one. Ohio State football has been at the forefront the past two NFL Drafts and there is more to come while Ohio’s NFL teams addressed key issues and fans were left gob smacked by some quarterback selections.
Here is a quick roundup of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Sub two-hour marathon: Sabastian Sawe of Kenya wins London Marathon in world-record time
11 more Buckeyes enter NFL
Ohio State had 11 more players drafted into the league over the past three days. Combine this year’s class with last year’s 14 selections and a record-tying 25 players that wore the scarlet and gray, many of whom won the 2024 national title, will either be rookies or sophomores in the NFL next year.
Four Buckeyes players were selected in the first round within the first 11 selections. Carnell Tate (No. 4, Titans), Arvell Reese (No. 5, Giants), Sonny Styles (No. 7, Commanders), and Caleb Downs (No. 11, Cowboys) will all likely be Week 1 starters for their respective teams, all of which missed the playoffs last season.
Day two of the draft had four more Buckeyes selected, beginning early in the second round with Kayden McDonald (No. 36, Texans). His fellow defender Davison Igbinosun (No. 62, Bills) and tight ends Max Klare (No. 61, Rams) and Will Kacmarek (No. 87, Dolphins) meant OSU had its most players drafted before the fourth round in a decade.
The selection of Igbinosun meant that each starting Buckeyes defensive player in the 2025 national title game against Notre Dame was drafted into the NFL. Three more Ohio State players were taken on day three: Lorenzo Styles Jr. (No. 172, Saints), Caden Curry (No. 214, Colts), and Ethan Onianwa (No. 231, Falcons).
Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate poses with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after being chosen by the Tennessee Titans with the fourth overall pick during the first round of the NFL football draft, Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese poses with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after being chosen by the New York Giants with the fifth overall pick during the first round of the NFL football draft, Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles, center right, poses with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after being chosen by the Washington Commanders with the seventh overall pick during the first round of the NFL football draft, Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Ohio State defensive back Caleb Downs poses with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after being chosen by the Dallas Cowboys with the 11th overall pick during the first round of the NFL football draft, Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Ohio State defensive lineman Kayden McDonald puts on a hat after being chosen by the Houston Texans with the 36th overall pick during the second round of the NFL football draft, Friday, April 24, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Ohio State tight end Max Klare (86) in positing for the start of a play during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Washington, Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)
Ohio State defensive back Davison Igbinosun plays against Akron during an NCAA college football game Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)
American Team tight end Will Kacmarek (87), of Ohio State, runs through drills during practice for the Senior Bowl NCAA college football game Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026, in Mobile, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
Ohio State’s Lorenzo Styles Jr. breaks up a pass intended for Indiana’s Omar Cooper Jr. during the first half of the Big Ten championship NCAA college football game in Indianapolis, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Ohio State defensive end Caden Curry looks on during the first half of the Cotton Bowl College Football Playoff quarterfinal game against Miami Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)
American Team offensive lineman Ethan Onianwa (60) of Ohio State, warms up before the Senior Bowl NCAA college football game Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026, in Mobile, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
The past two years is a testament to what Ryan Day has developed in Columbus: A winning program that produces the next crop of NFL stars. And there is more to come.
Jeremiah Smith leads 2027 draft class
While the 2027 draft class will be headlined by quarterbacks such as Oregon’s Dante Moore and Texas’ Arch Manning, the Buckeyes should be well represented in the first round again.
Receiver Jeremiah Smith will be among the top prospects not just in next year’s draft class but in recent NFL history. The incoming junior has been a revelation at the position and could be the highest receiver selected in an NFL Draft since Calvin Johnson went No. 2 in 2007. No matter where Smith goes and if all goes to plan, he will mark six straight drafts with a Buckeyes receiver taken in the first round.
Among other OSU players that are projected to be among the top of the prospects list for 2027 includes edge rusher Kenyatta Jackson, guard Austin Siereveld, and receiver Brandon Inniss. Next year’s draft will take place at the National Mall in Washington D.C. in front of the U.S. Capitol.
Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Michigan, Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, in Ann Arbor, Mich. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Ohio State defensive lineman Kenyatta Jackson, right, tackles Nebraska receiver Jaylen Lloyd for a loss during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)
Ohio State offensive lineman Austin Siereveld (67) guards Illinois defensive end Gabe Jacas (17) during an NCAA football game on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025, in Champaign, Ill. (AP Photo/Melissa Tamez)
Ohio State receiver Brandon Inniss plays against Grambling State during an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)
The National Mall, with the US Capitol Building in distance, as seen from the Washington Monument, Tuesday, Dec., 9, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
What did the Browns and Bengals address?
Cleveland had 10 selections in this year’s draft and heard plenty of boos from Steelers fans when its two first round selections were announced. Utah offensive tackle Spencer Fano and Texas A&M receiver KC Concepcion became Browns players on Thursday night and will likely slot right into the starting lineup.
Among the teams’ other notable picks include Washington receiver Denzel Boston (No. 39), Toledo safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, (No. 58), Alabama linebacker Justin Jefferson (No. 149), and Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green (No. 182).
The Cincinnati Bengals had only seven picks in the draft after trading their No. 10 overall selection to the New York Giants for Dexter Lawrence. The first two picks for the Bengals were defensive players: Texas A&M edge rusher Cashius Howell (No. 41) and Washington cornerback Tacario Davis (No. 72).
Georgia receiver Colbie Young (No. 140) and Cincinnati native offensive lineman Brian Parker II of Duke (No. 189) stood out amongst the Bengals’ draft class. Neither team has made the playoffs in the past two seasons.
Unexpected QB picks make headlines
The mystery of the draft started after the Las Vegas Raiders selected Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza with the first overall pick. The height of the surprises came at pick 13 when the Los Angeles Rams took Alabama QB Ty Simpson as the potential successor to Matthew Stafford.
The selection was met with mixed reactions but paled in comparison to the stunned reactions when the Steelers drafted Penn State QB and Ohio native Drew Allar in the third round in front of the hometown crowd. Allar joins Aaron Rodgers and former Buckeyes signal caller Will Howard in the Steel City and was picked using the selection the Steelers acquired in the George Pickens trade to the Dallas Cowboys.
Other notable headlines included the Arizona Cardinals taking Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love and Miami QB Carson Beck and the Philadelphia Eagles drafting USC receiver Makai Lemon ahead of the Steelers while Lemon was talking to Pittsburgh team officials on the phone.
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV.