COLUMBUS, Ohio – Two former Buckeyes were drafted by NFL teams in the first round in New York Thursday night.
The Steelers selected linebacker Ryan Shazier with the 15th overall pick in the NFL draft and the Broncos drafted All-Big Ten cornerback Bradley Roby with the 31st pick.
A total of 69 Ohio State players have been drafted in the first round by NFL teams, the second-most of any college program.
The 6’1”, 237-pound Shazier played outside linebacker for the Buckeyes but will likely move to inside linebacker in the NFL. The Steelers are looking for a starter at inside linebacker after deciding to release veteran Larry Foote.
Shazier was a two-time All-Big Ten selection for the Buckeyes and a first-team All-American during his senior year in 2013. He had 306 tackles and 44.5 tackles-for-loss in three seasons with the Buckeyes, leading the Big Ten with 143 tackles this past season, and he tied school records for solo tackles and TFLs in a single game.
This is the second straight year Pittsburgh has taken a linebacker in the first round. Jarvis Jones finished with one sack but improved as the season went along last fall.
Fourth-year junior Roby (left) ranks third in school history with 226 interception return yards and is tied for the school record with seven others with two career interception returns for TDs.
He joins an already solid group of cornerbacks that includes free agent acquisition Aqib Talib and Chris Harris Jr., who is recovering from a partially torn ACL that required surgery and kept him out of the Super Bowl.