Four Buckeyes land in post-Super Bowl three-round mock draft

COLUMBUS — Ohio State coach Ryan Day couldn’t even rattle off all of the names in short order. There are too many to verbalize without leaving at least one or two names off the list of Buckeyes who decided to put off the NFL and return for one more run at a national title.

“These are all really high end players who decided they wanted to come back,” Day said. “It wasn’t for anything other than their teammates, their coaches, the culture. And that kind of set the tone for all of it.”

Ohio State could have seen a massive NFL Draft class this spring. The Buckeyes could have challenged for having the most players drafted in this year’s selection process. Instead, most of them decided on another year with the Buckeyes. Next year’s draft class could be huge for the Buckeyes.

This year’s? It’s a small but good group. It has star power at the top and some quality players for the middle of the draft. That’s apparent as the NFL mock drafts begin to trickle out following the Super Bowl on Sunday night.

The Athletic’s Nick Bumgardner took a stab at projecting the first three rounds of the draft Sunday night, and four Buckeyes made the top 101 picks. Lettermen Row is rounding up what Bumgardner projected — and why.

Ohio State WR Marvin Harrison Jr. — 3rd overall to the New England Patriots

The former Buckeyes record-breaking star is going to be selected in the top five of the NFL Draft. Whether that’s after the top three quarterbacks fall off the board or after just two of them, Marvin Harrison Jr. will be a top draft selection — the highest-drafted receiver since Calvin Johnson in 2007, potentially.

The Athletic has been talking about Harrison as the best draft prospect, regardless of position, for a while now. Here’s what Nick Bumgardner said about Harrison Jr. in his mock draft write-up.

Harrison could be the top-ranked player on a few boards come draft night. And while offensive tackle and quarterback also remain possibilities for New England, Harrison not only can make an entire offense better, he also can help a struggling quarterback. He’s a true game-changer and the best receiver in the draft — in a year full of great ones.

Nick Bumgardner, The Athletic

Harrison has already solidified his place among the best receiver prospects ever. Now he is just waiting to see how high he will go in the draft come the end of April.

Buckeyes DT Mike Hall — 69th overall to the Los Angeles Chargers

At one point last offseason, Mike Hall was a projected first-round pick. When he was healthy during his time at Ohio State, he was dominant. But he was slowed down by injuries at times during the last two seasons — and he was also overshadowed by how good Tyleik Williams was for the Buckeyes in 2023.

Still, Hall is an impressive defensive tackle who will be coveted by NFL front offices, especially after his good showing last week at the Senior Bowl, both in practice and in the actual game. This mock draft has him being selected at the beginning of the third round by former Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh, who left the Wolverines to become the Chargers head coach after winning the national title. Hall never beat Harbaugh. Could Harbaugh become Hall’s head coach at the next level? It’s certainly possible, but this would also pair Hall up with former Buckeyes defensive end Joey Bosa on the Los Angeles defensive line.

LB Tommy Eichenberg — 100th overall to the Los Angeles Rams

Another Buckeyes defensive star is projected to head to Los Angeles, but with a different team. The Athletic has two-time Ohio State captain and defensive leader Tommy Eichenberg going off the board at the end of the third round. The Rams already have a former Ohio State defensive star — starting safety Jordan Fuller — in their defense. Eichenberg would give them a physical presence at linebacker to begin his NFL career. The All-Big Ten performer could increase his draft stock with a good showing later this month at the NFL Combine.

TE Cade Stover — 101st overall to the Washington Commanders

Some folks in NFL Draft circles have Cade Stover as the second-best tight end in this draft, behind only Georgia’s Brock Bowers. But The Athletic’s Nick Bumgardner has Stover as the fourth tight end off the board — with the final pick of the third round. Stover was a do-it-all player for Ohio State, starting his career as a linebacker before moving to tight end and becoming a real weapon in the Buckeyes offense. He had 77 catches for 982 yards and 10 touchdowns across the last two seasons as the full-time starting tight end. And he improved as a blocker throughout his time at the position, as well. This mock draft has Stover going to the Commanders alongside projected No. 2 overall pick Drake Maye, a quarterback from North Carolina.