In 1994, the Ohio State Buckeyes had a defensive player who was drafted No. 1 overall. A former scout team offensive tackle, Dan Wilkinson transformed into a consensus All-American defensive lineman before hearing his name called by the Cincinnati Bengals as the top pick. Since then, not a single OSU defensive player has cracked that elusive No. 1 spot. But that might change in 2026 with Ryan Day ‘s team.

On November 20, Bleacher Report’s latest top-150 prospects list OSU Caleb Downs as the projected No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL draft. It planted him there with authority (9.3 grade) sitting ahead of linebackers, edge rushers, and blue-chip QBs alike. Ohio State stacked eight players inside the top 100, including LB Arvell Reese (No. 6) and WR Carnell Tate (No. 10

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