Ohio State’s 2016 NFL draft class, headlined by No. 3 overall pick Joey Bosa and No. 4 Ezekiel Elliott, was historically great as it accounted for five of the first 20 picks and 10 selections in the first three rounds.
The Buckeyes’ 2017 NFL haul won’t be nearly as impressive.
That should be a given, of course, as Urban Meyer’s young squad is replacing 16 total starters this fall. And with only six scholarship seniors on the roster, it would be incredibly surprising if many non-seniors pulled the trigger and made an early jump to the NFL.
These three players, though, could hear their names in the 2017 draft.
Raekwon McMillan, Linebacker
Ohio State’s top NFL prospect next spring will be middle linebacker Raekwon McMillan.
The former 5-star prospect was rated the No. 1 inside linebacker for the class of 2014, and with another solid season in Columbus, he could be one of the top backers in next year’s draft.
McMillan was solid in his freshman season, playing in a heavy rotation as a reserve behind Curtis Grant. He logged 54 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and an interception that he returned for a touchdown against Maryland.
A year later, as the lone starter in a top-10 defense, he led the team with 119 total tackles to complement four tackles for loss. He was named to the All-Big Ten First Team defense by the media and second team by the coaches.
With another year as the star and anchor of Ohio State’s defense, the true junior’s draft stock should only…
Continue Reading: Ohio State Football: Buckeyes’ Top 2017 NFL Draft Prospects
