COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State football is consistently a fixture in the first round of the NFL draft, and next year should be no exception.

Todd McShay, an analyst for the Ringer, shared his mock 2026 NFL Draft earlier this week, and it included three Buckeyes in the first round.

Safety Caleb Downs was the top OSU player off the board, landing with the Titans as the fifth overall pick.

Linebacker Sonny Styles, the Block O recipient this season, was projected to go to the Buccaneers with the 25th overall pick. That scenario would reunite Styles with former OSU receiver Emeka Egbuka who was taken by Tampa Bay in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft.

Tight end Max Klare rounded out Ohio State’s representation in McShay’s mock draft as the 31st overall pick going to the Eagles. Klare is entering his first season with the Buckeyes after transferring from Purdue.

McShay’s projection did not include Carnell Tate as a first round pick. It would snap OSU’s streak of having a receiver taken in the first round every year since 2021.

Will Arch Manning declare for the 2026 NFL Draft?

Ohio State’s first opponent of the 2025 season, Texas, could also have a number of players go in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.

Will quarterback Arch Manning be among them? That remains unclear.

Archie Manning — Arch’s grandfather and the father to his uncles, Eli and Peyton — told Texas Monthly magazine earlier this month he felt confident Arch would return to UT for the 2026 season instead of declaring for the NFL draft.

Arch, while speaking with reporters Tuesday, refuted the claim.

“Yeah, I don’t know where he got that from,” Arch said. “He texted me and apologized about that. I’m really just taking it day by day right now.”

Key datesOhio State vs. Texas (season opener): 10 days, Aug. 30, 2025Ohio State vs. Penn State: 73 days, Nov. 1, 2025The Game 2025: 101 days, Nov. 29, 2025Early Signing Period: 106 days, Dec. 4-6, 2025Big Ten Championship Game: 108 days, Dec. 6, 2025College Football Playoff first round: 121 days, Dec. 19-20, 2025College Football Playoff quarterfinal: 133 days, Dec. 31, 2025-Jan. 1, 2026College Football Playoff semifinal: 141 days, Jan. 8-9, 2026College Football Playoff National Championship Game: 151 days, Jan. 18, 2026

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