Ohio State Projected to Rule the 2026 NFL Draft With 4 Top 10 Picks

The 2026 NFL draft is in just a few days, and there’s a solid chance that Ohio State will walk out of the event with more players drafted in the first round than any other college team.

The draft will take place April 23 through 25 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and expect to see a lot of scarlet and grey at the event.

Nate Davis of USA Today names his draft projections in a Sunday, April 19 feature, and it’s all about Ohio State. In the piece, he predicts which players each 32 NFL teams will take. His picks also take into account the weekend trade between the Giants and Bengals.

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For Ohio State, Davis has four of the team’s players going in the first 10 selections in the first round. It doesn’t get bigger than that.

As for those players, Davis has the Arizona Cardinals taking linebacker Arvell Reese at No. 3, the New York Giants selecting safety Caleb Downs at No. 5, the Washington Commanders taking linebacker Sonny Styles at No. 7 and the New Orleans Saints taking wide receiver Carnell Tate at No. 8.

Downs going to the Giants especially makes sense following their blockbuster Lawrence trade.

“The Lawrence blockbuster gives the G-Men options. Trade up for Love perhaps?” Davis says. “Take a receiver of their choice? Plenty on the table to choose from, yet probably little incentive for new coach John Harbaugh to rush into a potentially rash direction given the amount of work to do here.”

Downs is one of the strongest defenders in the draft, if not the best, and he would certainly beef up the Giants’ needy lineup. He could really be a difference-maker in this team, and John Harbaugh likely knows it.

“Downs’ ability to anticipate and read the field and ability to play chess in real time could really render him a professional game changer at a position that normally isn’t drafted this highly,” Davis adds. “With Jaxson Dart installed as the Giants' new franchise quarterback, Downs would be a worthy defensive counterpart.”

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I don’t know if I’d go so far to call Downs the counterpart to Dart on defense, but it’s a possibility. Either way, this draft pick seems set in stone.

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This story was originally published April 20, 2026 at 1:00 PM.