Trio of Buckeyes Selected in Second Round of 2026 NFL Draft

PITTSBURGH – Three Buckeyes were taken in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft, as defensive tackle Kayden McDonald (No. 36 Overall, Houston Texans), tight end Max Klare (No. 61, LA Rams), cornerback Davison Igbinosun (No. 62, Buffalo Bills) were taken on Friday evening. Ohio State's seven selections through the first two rounds at the most of any school in the country.

Additionally, Ohio State tied its own program record with seven selections in the first two rounds. The Buckeyes previously accomplished that in 2016 and 2025.

At the conclusion of the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 57 Buckeyes have been selected, including 20 first-round picks during the Ryan Day era (2019–present).

Since Ryan Day officially was named Ohio State's head coach on Dec. 4, 2018, Ohio State has had 23 alumni declare for the NFL Draft early and forgo their final year of eligibility and all of them have been drafted with 14 being picked in the first round.

2019:
- Nick Bosa, 2nd Overall, Round 1 – San Francisco 49ers
- Dwayne Haskins, 15th Overall, Round 1 – Washington Redskins
- Michael Jordan, 136th Overall, Round 4 – Cincinnati Bengals
2020:
- Chase Young, 2nd Overall, Round 1 – Washington Redskins
- Jeff Okudah, 3rd Overall, Round 1 – Detroit Lions
- J.K. Dobbins, 55th Overall, Round 2 – Baltimore Ravens
2021:
- Justin Fields, 11th Overall, Round 1 – Chicago Bears
- Tommy Togiai, 132nd Overall, Round 4 – Cleveland Browns
2022:
- Garrett Wilson, 10th Overall, Round 1 – New York Jets
- Nicholas Petit-Frere, 69th Overall, Round 3 – New Orleans Saints
2023:
- C.J. Stroud, 2nd Overall, Round 1 – Houston Texans
- Paris Johnson Jr., 6th Overall, Round 1 – Arizona Cardinals
- Jaxon Smith-Njigba, 20th Overall, Round 1 – Seattle Seahawks
- Luke Wypler, 190th Overall, Round 6 – Cleveland Browns
2024:
- Marvin Harrison Jr., 4th Overall, Round 1 – Arizona Cardinals
- Mike Hall Jr., 54th Overall, Round 2 – Cleveland Browns
2025:
- Josh Simmons, 32nd Overall, Round 1 – Kansas City Cheifs
- Quinshon Judkins, 36th Overall, Round 2 – Cleveland Browns
2026:
- Carnell Tate, 4th Overall, Round 1 – Tennessee Titans
- Arvell Reese, 5th Overall, Round 1 – New York Giants
- Caleb Downs, 11th Overall, Round 1 – Dallas Cowboys
- Kayden McDonald, 36th Overall, Round 2 -- Houston Texans
- Mac Klare, 61st Overall, Round 2 – LA Rams

Kayden McDonald – Houston Texans, 2nd Round (No. 36 Overall)

Ohio State defensive tackle Kayden McDonald was selected 36th overall in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft on Friday night by the Houston Texans.

McDonald's selection made him the highest drafted Ohio State middle-of-the-line defensive tackle since Johnathan Hankins went 49th overall in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft to the New York Giants.

Additionally, the Buckeyes have now had at least one defensive lineman drafted each year since 2018.

What They're Saying:

Head Coach Ryan Day:
- "The Texans are getting a tough, physical presence in the middle of the defense who also has an extremely high ceiling. He can completely ruin an offense's run game while also disrupting the pocket. Kayden plays with strength, discipline and does the hard work that makes everyone else around him better. His toughness and strength are what you want anchoring your defensive line."
Charles Davis (NFL Network):
- "Will Anderson, Danielle Hunter, just texted each other and said, thank you. And then they texted Nick Caserio the general manager, it was big, but those tears, Joel, that we're seeing there, we're seeing different emotions from guys. This one feels like relief because of what happened. Yes, being here, being around them, you know the possibility exists that you may not go, but it's still stunning, and it hurts when you're not the guy, when you're the one left there. And now he gets his opportunity."
Joel Klatt (FOX):
- "I give the young man a ton of credit, staying around for on night two to accept this opportunity and go across the stage one round. At Ohio State, he was not a starter two years ago for that national championship. He played in short yardage, but really a one year starter on the interior, and Matt Patricia used him all over the place. They would jump around in defensive structures. And one of the reasons why all those other players had one-on-one opportunities to rush the passer and blitz the quarterback was because this guy was getting a lot of attention in the middle of that defense, a unanimous All American. He had great production on the interior, 60 tackles, and that was with them, keeping the snap count low. You only played 32 snaps per game. That also tells you about player development. We can talk all we want about players moving around, transporting NFL, but player development matters. But Ohio State developed him."
Daniel Jeremiah (NFL Network):
- "He's going to be more than something to be added to that mix. What he's going to do is he's going to give those edge rushers, those freaks on the edge, more opportunity to do what they do best, and rush the passer, because he's going to handle the run game now. He's pretty damn good at football especially against the run, not only as someone that can stack blocks and mobilize but he is productive. He makes a ton of tackles. He frees himself and is able to locate the football. You see it here, working through two blockers and navigating his way towards the ball. We think about instincts a lot of times, talking about guys on the outside of the field or off the ball. He's got great instincts as a run defender inside and I do believe there's more heat on the bone as a pass rusher. He's got a chance to learn and grow on one of the best defensive coaches in football, not only DeMeco Ryan, your head coach, but Burke the DC is one of the absolute best. They're going to work with him on some of that pass rush as well."

Texans - Buckeyes Connection:

Houston has now drafted six Buckeyes, most recently selecting Cade Stover in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft. In addition, McDonald is the highest drafted Buckeye to the Texans since C.J. Stroud was taken second overall in the 2023 NFL Draft.

McDonald Ohio State Career Recap

Kayden capped a three-year career with Ohio State in 2025 by being named a unanimous All-American with first-team honors by the Associated Press, The Sporting News, American Football Coaches Association, Football Writers Association of America and Walter Camp.
Also named the Big Ten Conference's Smith-Brown Defensive Lineman of the Year
Totaled 65 tackles during an exceptional 2025 season with 9.0 tackles for losses totaling 29 yards, 3.0 quarterback sacks, two forced fumbles and two pass break-ups.
Earned Bronko Nagurski national defensive player of the week honors after recording seven tackles, 3.0 TFLs and 2.0 sacks in the win at Washington.
Had a career-high eight tackles three times in huge games: vs. Texas, Penn State and Miami.
Big junior season leaves Kayden with career totals of 85 tackles, 11.0 TFLs for losses totalling 33 yards, 3.0 quarterback sacks and three PBUs.
Played 37 games and started 14 times
He recorded 19 tackles in 2024, including 1.5 tackles-for-loss.
Also was credited with one pass break-up and one quarterback hurry.
He played in seven games for the Buckeyes in 2023, at defensive tackle and as a fullback in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl.
He was in on one tackle, a tackle-for-loss and a pass break up.
He is a two-time OSU Scholar-Athlete and a two-time Academic All-Big Ten Conference honoree who is majoring in communications
Off the field, Kayden partnered with Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio and served as an ambassador in support of the charities' mission.
Honors & Awards:
- 2025: Unanimous first-team All-American (AP, TSN, FWAA, AFCA and Walter Camp), Big Ten Conference defensive lineman of the year, Outland Trophy finalist, first-team All-Big Ten, Academic All-Big Ten.
- 2024: OSU Scholar-Athlete, Academic all-Big Ten Conference
- 2023: OSU Scholar-Athlete

Max Klare – LA Rams, 2nd Round (No. 61 Overall)

Ohio State tight end Max Klare was selected 61st overall in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft on Friday night by the LA Rams. Klare became the fourth tight end drafted during the Ryan Day era:

Luke Farrell (2021: 145th Overall, 5th Round – Jacksonville Jaguars)
Jeremy Ruckert (2022: 101st Overall, 3rd Round– New York Jets)
Cade Stover (2024: 123rd Overall, 4th Round – Houston Texans)
Max Klare (2026: 61st Overall, 2nd Round – LA Rams)

Klare became the highest drafted Buckeyes tight end since Rickey Dudley was drafted ninth overall in the first round of the 1996 NFL Draft.

What They're Saying:

Head Coach Ryan Day:
- "The Rams are getting a dependable, well-rounded tight end who just keeps improving. Max came in, learned our system and earned trust through his consistency, preparation and willingness to do whatever the team needed. He is going to be a matchup issue for NFL defenses. In a short period of time, he made a significant impact here at Ohio State and will do the same at the next level."
Charles Davis (NFL Network):
- "At Ohio State, there's just so many mouths to feed because they have so many good players. But you do see a lot of these little drags, these little drag routes and you'll see some of that run after catch."
Joel Kaltt (FOX):
- "There are a lot of mouths to feed at Ohio State. That's why he didn't have the production that he did at Purdue. But he developed into an excellent blocker, and Ohio State used a lot of 12 or 13 personnel last year as well, because they had a loaded tight end room. He was an excellent blocker by the time he got done there with the Buckeyes. And that's certainly one of the things that the Rams are going to love about it."

Rams - Buckeyes Connection:

LA has now drafted 30 Buckeyes, most recently selecting Ty Hamilton in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft.

Klare Ohio State Career Recap

Max transferred to Ohio State in December, 2024, out of the transfer portal from Purdue University
He played in all 14 games and started 11 times at tight end for the Buckeyes
He ranked third on the team in both receptions (43) and receiving yards (448) in 2025, and he averaged 10.4 yards per reception with two touchdowns (vs. Ohio and Rutgers)
Had bests of seven receptions and 105 yards vs. Rutgers
Finished with career totals of 32 games played at Purdue and Ohio State with 116 receptions for 1,329 yards and six touchdowns
Had one season of eligibility - 2026 - remaining but elected to enter his name into the NFL Draft
Had a streak of 17 consecutive games with multiple catches while at Purdue
Honors & Awards
- 2025: First-team all-Big Ten Conference (coaches and media)
- 2024: *Third-team all-Big Ten Conference (coaches)
  - *at Purdue

Davison Igbinosun – Buffalo Bills, 2nd Round (No. 62 Overall)

Ohio State cornerback Davison Igbinosun was selected 62nd overall in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft on Friday night by the Buffalo Bills. Igbinosun became the highest drafted cornerback for Ohio State since Damon Arnette (19th Overall) and Jeff Okudah (3rd Overall) went in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft.

Igbinosun became the seventh cornerback drafted during the Ryan Day era (2019-Present).

What They're Saying:

Head Coach Ryan Day:
- "The Bills are getting a tough, physical corner who plays with a real edge and competitiveness. Davison brings energy every day and sets a tone with how he competes. He made an immediate impact on the culture in our secondary, and we expect him to do the same in the NFL. Everyone loves coaching someone who embraces the challenge of being a lockdown cornerback who wants to be matched up with an opponent's top wide receiver."
Charles Davis (NFL Network):
- "He wanted to go out and go to Ohio State out of high school, ended up at Ole Miss, and was able to transfer it back. He is long, lean and can make plays on the football. He's got good timing to get that arm in there late to make that type of a play."
Joel Klatt (FOX):
- "He loves to compete. He's a physical player. I will say those penalties occurred less last year. Two years ago, and then this last season, in 2025 he cut those way down. He led the country in 2024 in pass interference calls, and that went way down this last year. So he did develop a little bit and learned to be less handsy in the back end."

Bills - Buckeyes Connection:

Buffalo has now drafted 14 Buckeyes, most recently selecting Jordan Hancock in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft.

Igbinosun Ohio State Career Recap

Davison spent three years starting for the Buckeyes at cornerback (2023-24-25) after transferring in from the University of Mississippi in January, 2023
An aggressive, physical cornerback, he started all 43 games for Ohio State the past three seasons and ended up starting 53 of the 56 games he played in as a collegian
He recorded 22 pass break-ups as a Buckeye to move into a tie for 11th place in school history
Finished with career totals of 194 tackles, including 119 solo stops, three fumble recoveries and four interceptions to go along with 27 PBUs and 31 total passes defended
Played well in 2025 with 53 tackles, eight PBUs and two interceptions and was named first-team all-Big Ten Conference
Interceptions came in the win at Michigan off Bryce Underwood and against Indiana in the Big Ten title game off Fernando Mendoza
Had career-high 10 tackles against both Texas in the season opener and vs. Miami in the CFP quarterfinals
Earned honorable mention All-Big Ten Conference honors in 2024 on both the coaches' and media ballots
Started all 16 games for the 2024 CFP national champions and recorded 45 tackles and led the team with nine pass break-ups
Ranked sixth in the Big Ten with 11 total passes defensed with two interceptions - vs. Iowa and a spectacular end zone interception 11 seconds before halftime in a four-point game with Penn State - in addition to the nine PBUs
Had a four solo stops and five total tackles in the CFP semifinal win over Texas
He stepped in and started all 13 games for the Buckeyes in 2023 and ranked third on the team in both total tackles (59) and solo tackles (39)
Also had five pass break-ups and two fumble recoveries in 2023 and earned honorable mention all-Big Ten honors on both the coaches' and media ballots
Had high games of seven tackles vs. Missouri in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl and five unassisted tackles vs. both Youngstown State, Penn State and Missouri
Led all Ohio State defensive players with 781 snaps on defense in 2023 and ranked fifth in 2024 with 821 snaps
Honors & Awards
- 2025: First-team all-Big Ten Conference, graduated in December with his degree in psychology
- 2024: Honorable mention all-Big Ten Conference (coach and media ballots)
- 2023: Honorable mention all-Big Ten Conference (coach and media ballots)
- 2022: Two-time member of the Ole Miss Athletic Director's honor roll majoring in psychology

Previous Press Releases on Ohio State NFL Draftees:

Carnell Tate Drafted No. 4 Overall by Tennessee Titans
Arvell Reese Drafted No. 5 Overall by New York Giants
Sonny Styles Drafted No. 7 Overall by Washington Commanders
Caleb Downs Drafted No. 11 Overall by Dallas Cowboys

Buckeyes 2026 NFL Draft Notes:

Ohio State tied its own program record with seven selections in the first two rounds. The Buckeyes previously accomplished that in 2016 and 2025.
Ohio State had four Buckeyes taken in the top 11 and became the first program since the NFL merger to accomplish that feat (Previously: 1956: Notre Dame – 4 // 1967: Michigan State – 4).
- Carnell Tate, 4th Overall, Round 1 – Tennessee Titans
- Arvell Reese, 5th Overall, Round 1 – New York Giants
- Sonny Styles, 7th Overall, Round 1 – Washington Commanders
- Caleb Downs, 11th Overall, Round 1 – Dallas Cowboys
Overall with Carnell Tate, Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles all taken in the top 10 of the 2026 NFL Draft, Ohio State has now had three Buckeyes taken in the top 10 of the NFL Draft for just the second time in program history and is the only program to accomplish this feat multiple times:
- 2016:
  - Joey Bosa, 3rd Overall, Round 1 – San Diego Chargers
  - Ezekiel Elliott, 4th Overall, Round 1 – Dallas Cowboys
  - Eli Apple, 10th Overall, Round 1 – New York Giants
- 2026:
  - Carnell Tate, 4th Overall, Round 1 – Tennessee Titans
  - Arvell Reese, 5th Overall, Round 1 – New York Giants
  - Sonny Styles, 7th Overall, Round 1 – Washington Commanders
- As noted above, Oklahoma (2010) and Alabama (2021) are the only other programs to accomplish this once.
Ohio State had a pair of Buckeyes taken in the top five of the NFL Draft on four occasions over the last 30 years (since 1996) and is the only school in the country who has achieved this milestone this multiple times:
- 1997:
  - Orlando Pace, 1st Overall, Round 1 – St. Louis Rams
  - Shawn Springs, 3rd Overall, Round 1 – Seattle Seahawks
- 2016:
  - Joey Bosa, 3rd Overall, Round 1 – San Diego Chargers
  - Ezekiel Elliott, 4th Overall, Round 1 – Dallas Cowboys
- 2020:
  - Chase Young, 2nd Overall, Round 1 – Washington Redskins
  - Jeff Okudah, 3rd Overall, Round 1 – Detroit Lions
- 2026:
  - Carnell Tate, 4th Overall, Round 1 – Tennessee Titans
  - Arvell Reese, 5th Overall, Round 1 – New York Giants
- With that, Alabama (2023), Oklahoma (2010), Auburn (2005), Texas (2002), Penn State (2000) and Illinois (1996) have all accomplished this on one occasion.
Since Ryan Day officially was named Ohio State's head coach on Dec. 4, 2018, Ohio State has had 23 alumni declare for the NFL Draft early and forgo their final year of eligibility and all of them have been drafted with 14 being picked in the first round.
- 2019:
  - Nick Bosa, 2nd Overall, Round 1 – San Francisco 49ers
  - Dwayne Haskins, 15th Overall, Round 1 – Washington Redskins
  - Michael Jordan, 136th Overall, Round 4 – Cincinnati Bengals
- 2020:
  - Chase Young, 2nd Overall, Round 1 – Washington Redskins
  - Jeff Okudah, 3rd Overall, Round 1 – Detroit Lions
  - J.K. Dobbins, 55th Overall, Round 2 – Baltimore Ravens
- 2021:
  - Justin Fields, 11th Overall, Round 1 – Chicago Bears
  - Tommy Togiai, 132nd Overall, Round 4 – Cleveland Browns
- 2022:
  - Garrett Wilson, 10th Overall, Round 1 – New York Jets
  - Nicholas Petit-Frere, 69th Overall, Round 3 – New Orleans Saints
- 2023:
  - C.J. Stroud, 2nd Overall, Round 1 – Houston Texans
  - Paris Johnson Jr., 6th Overall, Round 1 – Arizona Cardinals
  - Jaxon Smith-Njigba, 20th Overall, Round 1 – Seattle Seahawks
  - Luke Wypler, 190th Overall, Round 6 – Cleveland Browns
- 2024:
  - Marvin Harrison Jr., 4th Overall, Round 1 – Arizona Cardinals
  - Mike Hall Jr., 54th Overall, Round 2 – Cleveland Browns
- 2025:
  - Josh Simmons, 32nd Overall, Round 1 – Kansas City Cheifs
  - Quinshon Judkins, 36th Overall, Round 2 – Cleveland Browns
- 2026:
  - Carnell Tate, 4th Overall, Round 1 – Tennessee Titans
  - Arvell Reese, 5th Overall, Round 1 – New York Giants
  - Caleb Downs, 11th Overall, Round 1 – Dallas Cowboys
  - Kayden McDonald, 36th Overall, Round 2 -- Houston Texans
  - Max Klare, 61st Overall, Round 2 – LA Rams
Ohio State's currently active streak of at least one first rounder goes back to 2016, the longest in the Big Ten and the second longest in the NCAA, trailing only Alabama who trace their streak back to 2009.
Ohio State further set a record on Thursday, April 23 by becoming the first school to reach 99 draft picks in a school's history.

Total First Rounders by School (current through 2026 first round)

Rank	School	Total First Round Picks
1.	Ohio State	99
2.	USC	87
3.	Alabama	85
4.	Notre Dame	73
5.	Miami	71
6.	Florida	60
7.	Texas	58
8.	Michigan	55
9.	LSU	54
10.	Georgia	53
11.	Oklahoma	51
12.	Tennessee	48
13.	Florida State	47
14.	Penn State	45
15.	Clemson	42
16.	Texas A&M	38
17.	UCLA	37
18.	Michigan State	36
19.	Nebraska	34
20.	Auburn	33
T21.	Washington	31
T21.	Wisconsin	31
T23.	Cal	27
T23.	North Carolina	27
T23.	Pitt	27

Since Ryan Day officially was named Ohio State's head coach on Dec. 4, 2018, Ohio State has produced 20 First Round picks and a total of 66 total drafted players. As noted below, that first round total ranks second in the country.
Position-Specific Notes:
- Linebackers:
  - Arvell Reese was selected by the Tennessee Titans with the fifth pick and Sonny Styles was taken seventh overall by the Washington Redskins in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
  - Those historic selections mark the first time that an Ohio State linebacker was taken in the first round since Darron Lee went 20th overall to the New York Jets in 2016.
  - Additionally, they are the first pair of Ohio State linebackers to both be selected in the first round since A.J. Hawks (5th Overall, Green Bay Packers) and Bobby Carpenter (18th Overall, Dallas Cowboys) were taken in the 2006 NFL Draft.
  - Linebackers Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles marked the first time a program has had two linebackers selected in the top 10 of the same NFL Draft.
- Defensive Line:
  - Kayden McDonald was selected by the Houston Texans with the 36th overall pick in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
  - He became the highest drafted Ohio State middle-of-the-line defensive tackle since Johnathan Hankins went 49th overall in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft to the New York Giants.
- Defensive Backs:
  - Caleb Downs was selected by the Dallas Cowboys with the 11th pick in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. He became the first safety to be selected this high since 2018 when Minkah Fitzpatrick was also selected with the 11th pick. Additionally, he is the highest drafted Ohio State safety since Malik Hooker was taken 15th overall by the Indianapolis Colts in 2015. Overall, he is the first safety in the Ryan Day Era (2019-Present) to be selected in the top 13 picks of the NFL Draft.
  - Davison Igbinosun was selected 62nd overall in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft on Friday night by the Buffalo Bills. Igbinosun became the highest drafted cornerback for Ohio State since Damon Arnette (19th Overall) and Jeff Okudah (3rd Overall) went in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
- Tight Ends:
  - Ohio State tight end Max Klare was selected 61st overall in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft on Friday night by the LA Rams. Klare became the fourth tight end drafted during the Ryan Day era:
    - Luke Farrell (2021: 145th Overall, 5th Round – Jacksonville Jaguars)
    - Jeremy Ruckert (2022: 101st Overall, 3rd Round– New York Jets)
    - Cade Stover (2024: 123rd Overall, 4th Round – Houston Texans)
    - Max Klare (2026: 61st Overall, 2nd Round – LA Rams)
  - Klare became the highest drafted Buckeyes tight end since Rickey Dudley was drafted ninth overall in the first round of the 1996 NFL Draft.
- Wide Receivers Selected in 1st Round Since 2022:
  - Since 2022, all five Ohio State wide receivers that were drafted have gone in the first round, with an average draft position of 11.3. Additionally, the Buckeyes have had the highest receiver taken in three of five NFL Drafts.
    - Carnell Tate in 2026 (No. 4 to the Tennessee Titans)
    - Marvin Harrison in 2024 (No. 4 to the Arizona Cardinals)
    - Jaxon Smith-Njigba in 2023 (No. 20 to the Seattle Seahawks)
  - With Carnell Tate's selection to the Tennessee Titans with 4th pick, it marked the first time in Ohio State history that a wide receiver was selected in the first round in five straight drafts. He also became Ohio State's sixth wide receiver in the last five years to have his name called in the first round.

First Round Wide Receivers by School Since 2022

Rank	School	1st Round WRs	Total WR Selected	Percentage of WR Selected in 1st Round
1.	Ohio State	6	6	100%
T2.	Texas	2	4	50%
T2.	USC	3	5	50%
T2.	LSU	2	3	67%
T5.	Alabama	1	3	33%
T5.	Florida	1	3	33%
T5.	Washington	1	3	33%
T5.	Colorado	1	3	33%
T5.	Penn State	1	2	50%
T5.	South Carolina	1	2	50%
T5.	Arizona	1	2	50%
T5.	Boston College	1	1	100%
T5.	Arizona State	1	1	100%
T5.	Texas A&M	1	1	100%
T5.	Indiana	1	1	100%

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