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2026 NFL mock draft: Where Ohio State stars Reese, Styles, more could go
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- 2026 NFL mock draft: Where Ohio State stars Reese, Styles, more could go
Though a year removed from a national championship, the Ohio State Buckeyes will have multiple first-round selections in the 2026 NFL Draft .
Wide receiver Emeka Egbuka , defensive tackle Tyleik Williams and offensive linemen Donovan Jackson and Josh Simmons all heard their names called in 2025. Another crop of Ohio State stars will do the same, though likely earlier than a year ago.
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This year, most of the stars line up on defense. Linebackers Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles were outstanding players at their position and Reese has some scouts excited about his potential as an edge rusher. Behind them, safety Caleb Downs is one of the top safety talents to come out of college since Kyle Hamilton in 2022.
It's not all defense. Carnell Tate should continue the recent tradition of a Buckeye wide receiver selected in the first round of the NFL draft for the fifth year in a row. Beyond the first round, defensive tackle Kayden McDonald, tight end Max Klare and cornerback Davison Igbinosun are all top-100 talents in this class.
As they show their skills one last time before the NFL Draft during the Ohio State Pro Day, here's a Buckeyes-specific mock draft:
Ohio State mock draft
LB/edge Arvell Reese: No. 2 overall to the New York Jets
The Jets miss out on Fernando Mendoza, so they take the best player available and that's Reese. New York brought in Demario Davis to stabilize the position, as well as edge rushers Kingsley Enagbare and Joseph Ossai, who will ease the pressure on Reese to produce immediately in a newer role. He could form a dynamic linebacker tandem with Davis for Aaron Glenn's defense in year two.
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WR Carnell Tate: No. 5 overall to the New York Giants
New York needs more playmakers on the outside to complement Malik Nabers and there may not be a better fit to do so than Tate. He's not a speedy vertical threat but wins with impressive contested catch abilities and some of the best hands in the class. Nabers will rightfully take the attention of opposing defenses and Tate can capitalize on that to provide Jaxson Dart another target in the passing game.
LB Sonny Styles: No. 7 overall to the Washington Commanders
Styles is a top-five talent in this draft class but may fall slightly due to other teams' needs. If he makes it this far, Washington would be thrilled to have a premier prospect like him.
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The Commanders invested heavily on defense in free agency and need to get younger on that side of the ball. Styles' range as a run defender and in coverage frees up the rest of the front seven and makes them more of a contender against the top rushing attacks they'll see in the NFC East.
MARVIN HARRISON JR : NFL stars break down Ohio State's draft prospects
S Caleb Downs: No. 10 overall to the Cincinnati Bengals
Downs is one of the top players in the class, regardless of position, and is up there with Reese and Styles. But this is a good safety class overall so he could see his value drop slightly.
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Ending up in Cincinnati at No. 10 overall would be a great outcome for the Bengals. Their woeful pass defense needs a player to build around and Downs can do it all from the safety position in the box, the slot or at deep safety. His presence would be a force multiplier for a team looking to bounce back and make the playoffs.
DT Kayden McDonald: No. 28 overall to the Houston Texans
There's a slight drop off in the talent from Columbus to McDonald but he's still one of the top prospects on the interior defensive line in this class. He finds a home in Houston late in the first round in this mock draft scenario.
Houston has the best edge rushing tandem in the NFL with Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter but could use some help on the interior. McDonald doesn't offer much as a pass rusher at this point in his development. Instead, his game is all about run defense. His strength and power should occupy blockers in run defense and that'll help the second-level defenders continue to bring chaos to opposing offenses. With Sheldon Rankins and Logan Hall in the rotation already, McDonald wouldn't need to be a full-time starter right away.
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TE Max Klare: No. 74 overall to the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City signed franchise icon Travis Kelce to a three-year contract in free agency but it'd be a shock to see him play that out . With that in mind, Kansas City could look to plan ahead with Klare.
He didn't have much of a starring role in Columbus but he may be a tight end with a more promising NFL career ahead of him due to sharing targets with Tate and Jeremiah Smith - a likely top-five pick at wide receiver in the 2027 NFL Draft. Klare separates well with good speed and route running and has good size at 6-foot-5 and 243 pounds. He's a willing blocker as well, which could earn him a big role sooner than later for the Chiefs' offense.
CB Davison Igbinosun: No. 87 overall to the Miami Dolphins
Miami needs a lot of help in the secondary and has the draft capital to address it (seven selections in the top 100). They missed out on Downs in Round 1 by one pick but get a Buckeye in the secondary with Igbinosun at No. 87 overall.
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He is at his best in man coverage with a physical presence in press coverage. At 6-foot-2 and 189 pounds, he has prototypical outside cornerback size and elite athleticism. He took a step in coverage in 2025 by allowing a 47.8% catch rate when targeted, per Pro Football Focus (PFF), and zero touchdowns. He'd be a player worth developing for a defensive-minded head coach, in Jeff Hafley, who has a good track record with secondary players.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2026 NFL mock draft: Ohio State prospect predictions
