COLUMBUS – As usual, a large group of Buckeyes will be waiting to hear their names called during the NFL draft this weekend, including a potential first-round defensive back and two outstanding offensive linemen.
2018 NFL Draft: AT& T Stadium, Arlington TX; April 26-28 (NFL Network)
Cornerback Denzel Ward boasts blazing speed and a reputation for physical play and is predicted to be a Top 10 pick.
The consensus All-American and first-team all-Big Ten defended 17 passes during the 2017 season, the fourth-highest single season total in school history.
Ward could be the fourth Buckeye cornerback taken in the first round, following Marshon Lattimore and Gareon Conley last year and and Eli Apple in 2016.
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Center Billy Price, is billed as being very strong and aggressive and also played at guard with the Buckeyes while starting a school-record 55 games in his career.
He is expected to be taken by the end of second round.
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Sam Hubbard ranks 15th all-time at Ohio State in both quarterback sacks with 17 and tackles-for-loss yardage with 154. His strength and technique make him a formidable edge-rusher.
Other Ohio State players in the draft include LB Jerome Baker, Ohio State’s leading tackler in 2017; QB J.T. Barrett, the quarterback of the year in the Big Ten three times and a record-holder for – among many others — career total offensive yards in the Big Ten (12,697), touchdown passes (104) and touchdowns responsible for (147), and Ohio State’s career passing leader (9,434 yards) and touchdown passes (104); OT Jamarco Jones, hoping to follow OSU left tackles Mike Adams, Jack Mewhort and Taylor Decker into the league; DE Tyquan Lewis, among the Top 5 all-time sack leaders in Ohio State history with 23.5; S Damon Webb, the MVP in the Buckeyes’ 24-7 win over USC in the 2017 Cotton Bowl; LB Chris Worley, who started at all three linebacker positions.as a senior; TE Marcus Baugh and DE Jalyn Holmes.