Trio of Buckeyes Selected on Third Day of 2026 NFL Draft

PITTSBURGH – Three Buckeyes were taken on the third and final day of the 2026 NFL Draft, with Lorenzo Styles Jr. going in the fifth round, Caden Curry coming off the board in the sixth round and Ethan Onianwa going in the seventh.

The New Orleans Saints picked Styles Jr. with the 172nd overall pick of the draft. Meanwhile, Curry and Onianwa were selected 214th and 231st overall by the Indianapolis Colts and Atlanta Falcons, respectively.

Overall, Ohio State had 11 Buckeyes taken during the 2026 NFL Draft, which is the most of any school in the country.

WR Carnell Tate, 4th Overall, Round 1 – Tennessee Titans
LB Arvell Reese, 5th Overall, Round 1 – New York Giants
LB Sonny Styles, 7th Overall, Round 1 – Washington Commanders
S Caleb Downs, 11th Overall, Round 1 – Dallas Cowboys
DT Kayden McDonald, 36th Overall, Round 2 -- Houston Texans
TE Max Klare, 61st Overall, Round 2 – LA Rams
CB Davison Igbinosun, No. 62 Overall, Round 2 – Buffalo Bills
TE Will Kacmarek, No. 87 Overall, Round 3 – Miami Dolphins
DB Lorenzo Styles Jr., No. 172 Overall, Round 5 – New Orleans Saints
DE Caden Curry, No. 214 Overall, Round 6 – Indianapolis Colts
OL Ethan Onianwa, No. 231 Overall, Round 7 – Atlanta Falcons

Additionally, the Buckeyes have had 25 players selected over the last two years which is tied for the most in consecutive drafts in the seven-round draft era (1994-Present).

Finally, at the conclusion of the 2026 NFL Draft, 69 Buckeyes have been selected, including 20 first-round picks during the Ryan Day era (2019–present). Not be overlooked, Ohio State tied its own program record with seven selections in the first two rounds this year. The Buckeyes previously accomplished that in 2016 and 2025.

Day 3 Selections Breakdown

Lorenzo Styles Jr.

Lorenzo Styles Jr. – New Orleans Saints, 5th Round (No. 172 Overall)
- Ohio State defensive back Lorenzo Styles Jr. was selected 172nd overall in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft on Saturday afternoon by the New Orleans Saints.
  
  He was the third Buckeyes defensive back selected during the 2026 NFL Draft.
What They're Saying:
- Head Coach Ryan Day:
  - "The Saints are getting a team-first defensive back who's shown he can adapt and grow. Lorenzo made a transition, learned a new position and earned trust through his consistency and willingness to do whatever was asked of him – whether on defense or special teams. He's a smart, dependable and competitive player who prepares the right way and gives you flexibility across the secondary. No one is going to outwork Lorenzo, and he is ready for the NFL."
- Daniel Jeremiah (NFL Network):
  - "Styles, former wide receiver at Notre Dame, converted the defensive side of the ball. He can play over the slot. He can play in the back half. The speed is ridiculous. I mean, 4.27 in the 40. There's not a ton of production, a little straight line, but he is an unbelievable special teams player. He's got a chance to be a Pro Bowler as a gunner and someone who can cover kicks and can also help with the help you return the football."
Saints - Buckeyes Connection:
- New Orleans has now drafted 18 Buckeyes, most recently selecting Chris Olave in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
Styles Jr. Ohio State Career Recap:
- Lorenzo graduated in April 2025, alongside his father, Lorenzo Sr., with his degree in consumer and family financial services.
- In 2025, he returned a kickoff for a touchdown against UCLA and totaled 30 tackles, 1.5 tackles-for-loss, and two pass breakups.
- He earned his first Varsity O letter in 2024 after playing in all 16 games, and totaling 397 defensive and special teams snaps, for the CFP national champions
- He successfully made the transition from wide receiver to cornerback, that started in the spring of 2023, by playing in 163 defensive snaps, primarily as the team's nickel back
- Recorded 16 tackles and four pass break-ups in 2024.
- Honors & Awards:
  - Big Ten Conference Distinguished Scholar
  - Two-time OSU Scholar-Athlete
  - Two-time Academic All-Big Ten Conference honoree

Caden Curry

Caden Curry – Indianapolis Colts, 6th Round (No. 214 Overall)
- Ohio State defensive end Caden Curry was selected 214th overall in the sixth round of the 2026 NFL Draft on Saturday afternoon by the Indianapolis Colts.
  
  With Kayden McDonald's selection in the second and round and Curry's pick, the 2026 NFL Draft marked the second-straight year that Ohio State had at least two defensive linemen taken in the same draft. The last time Ohio State had two-straight years of multiple defensive linemen taken was 2019-2020.
What They're Saying:
- Head Coach Ryan Day:
  - "The Colts are getting a high-motor, tough edge player who's earned everything through his development. Caden stayed the course, put in the work and grew into an All-Big Ten and All-America honoree, and produced at a high level. He's a great example of what can happen when you trust the process. He plays with relentless effort, has a strong feel for the game and is a baller."
- Charles Davis (NFL Network):
  - "Caden Curry, I really loved him. Great descriptor and is a tough kid that beats up tight ends. If you remember the Big 10 title game, that first play of the game, he's the one who smacked Fernando Mendoza and put him out of the game for one play. Curry also had double-digit sacks this year. Caden Curry had a heck of a career at Ohio State and a big finish in 2025."
- Mel Kiper Jr. (ESPN):
  - "He is a really good pick here. He is active with his hands, and dropped into coverage. He was a nose tackle against Washington and got a sack in the fourth quarter of that game. The production, the instincts, the versatility, the toughness, everything about number 92 you love."
Colts - Buckeyes Connection:
- Indianapolis has now drafted 24 Buckeyes, most recently selecting JT Tuimoloau in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Curry Ohio State Career Recap:
- Caden played four seasons with the Buckeyes (2022-23-24-25), appeared in 54 games and started 14 times with all of his starts coming as a senior in 2025
- He earned first-team All-American honors as a senior from On3 and first-team all-Big Ten Conference honors when he had 66 tackles with 16.5 tackles for losses totalling 79 yards with 11 quarterback sacks
- He also earned second-team All-America honors by the AFCA and Walter Camp and third-team All-America honors by the Associated Press
- His 16.5 TFLs ranked 14th nationally and 15th in Ohio State single season history, and his 11 QB sacks ranked ninth nationally and 14th in school single season history
- Was at his destructive best against Washington, recording career highs in tackles with 11 and solo tackles with nine while tying the Ohio State single game record with five tackles-for-loss, including three quarterback sacks which rank seventh in school history
- Earned unanimous national defensive player of the week honors after that Washington game with Walter Camp, the Football Writer's Association, the Maxwell Club and the Big Ten Conference all naming him their respective defensive player of the week
- Closed his career with 111 career tackles, 25.0 TFLs for losses totaling 155 yards, 15 QB sacks and 11 quarterback pressures
- Caden was one of the few defensive ends nationally to play on special teams (started at times on punt and kickoff units and mixed in punt return and kickoff return responsibilities) and totaled 393 special teams snaps his final three seasons in addition to 1,032 snaps along the defensive line
- Played in all 16 games for the 2024 national champion Buckeyes and recorded 22 tackles with 3.5 tackles-for-loss (-47 yards) and 2.5 quarterback sacks
- Also had two forced fumbles and a blocked punt (vs. Purdue)
- Had nine tackles and 3.5 TFLs in 2023 after recording 14 and 1.5 TFLs, respectively, in 2022
- Graduated in December 2025 with his degree in communications
- Honors & Awards:
  - 2025: First-team All-American (On3), First-team All-Big Ten Conference

Ethan Onianwa

Ethan Onianwa – Atlanta Falcons, 7th Round (No. 231 Overall)
- Ohio State offensive lineman Ethan Onianwa was selected 231st overall in the seventh round of the 2026 NFL Draft on Saturday afternoon by the Atlanta Falcons.
  
  Onianwa is the 12th Buckeyes offensive lineman drafted during Ryan Day era (2019-Present).
What They're Saying:
- Head Coach Ryan Day:
  - "The Falcons are getting a high-upside offensive lineman with real traits and positional flexibility. He bought into our program from day one, competed for every opportunity in a deep room and continued to grow during his lone year in our program. He has worked hard for this opportunity, and we are excited for this next step for him."
Falcons - Buckeyes Connection:
- Atlanta has now drafted 13 Buckeyes, most recently selecting Zach Harrison in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
Onianwa Ohio State Career Recap:
- Ethan transferred to Ohio State in December, 2024, out of the transfer portal from Rice University
- He played one season with the Buckeyes
- Played in all 14 games and totaled 173 offensive and special teams snaps

Previous Press Releases on 2026 Ohio State NFL Draftees:

Buckeyes 2026 NFL Draft Notes:

Overall, Ohio State had 11 Buckeyes taken during the 2026 NFL Draft, which is the most of any school in the country.
- WR Carnell Tate, 4th Overall, Round 1 – Tennessee Titans
- LB Arvell Reese, 5th Overall, Round 1 – New York Giants
- LB Sonny Styles, 7th Overall, Round 1 – Washington Commanders
- S Caleb Downs, 11th Overall, Round 1 – Dallas Cowboys
- DT Kayden McDonald, 36th Overall, Round 2 -- Houston Texans
- TE Max Klare, 61st Overall, Round 2 – LA Rams
- CB Davison Igbinosun, No. 62 Overall, Round 2 – Buffalo Bills
- TE Will Kacmarek, No. 87 Overall, Round 3 – Miami Dolphins
- DE Caden Curry, No. 214 Overall, Round 6 – Indianapolis Colts
- OL Ethan Onianwa, No. 231 Overall, Round 7 – Atlanta Falcons
Ohio State is the only school in the seven-round draft era (1994–present) to have at least three NFL Draft classes with 12 or more players selected, most recently in 2025 when 14 Buckeyes were drafted.
- Additionally, the Buckeyes have had 25 players selected over the last two years which is tied for the most in consecutive drafts in the seven-round draft era (1994-Present).
  - Georgia is the only other school to accomplish this feat (2022-23).
- All 11 defensive starters from Ohio State's College Football Playoff National Championship win over Notre Dame are now NFL Draft picks 15 months later, with none selected lower than the fifth round. That doesn't include Arvell Reese, who was also in the rotation as a backup.
Ohio State tied its own program record with seven selections in the first two rounds this year. The Buckeyes previously accomplished that in 2016 and 2025.
At the conclusion of the 2026 NFL Draft, 69 Buckeyes have been selected, including 20 first-round picks during the Ryan Day era (2019–present).
- Additionally, Ohio State's eight selections through the first three rounds of the 2026 NFL Draft were the most of any school in the country.
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 has 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 extended its currently active streak of at least one Buckeye being selected in the first round, which dates back to 2016. That is the longest streak 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 its own 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 the turn of the century, Ohio State has been the model of consistency in developing talent to play in the NFL. The Buckeyes have the most total picks in the country and rank second in first round selections.

NFL Draft Picks by School Since 2000

Rank	College	Total Picks	First Rounders
1.	Ohio St.	188	45
2.	Alabama	181	49
3.	Georgia	177	35
4.	LSU	169	26
5.	Florida	149	28
6.	Miami	147	36
7.	Michigan	141	22
8.	USC	137	27
9.	Oklahoma	130	18
10.	Florida State	128	26
11.	Notre Dame	124	15
12.	Penn State	123	19
13.	Clemson	115	21
14.	Texas	110	21
T15.	Oregon	106	15
T15.	Tennessee	106	16
17.	Iowa	101	11
18.	Wisconsin	100	17
19.	Auburn	99	12
20.	Virginia Tech	90	10
21.	Texas A&M	95	14
22.	Stanford	89	7
23.	Nebraska	80	4

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.
  - Caden Curry joined a long line of successful defensive ends at Ohio State to be drafted as he was picked by the Indianapolis Colts with the 214th overall pick in the sixth round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
  - The Buckeyes have now had at least one defensive lineman drafted each year since 2018.
  - The 2026 NFL Draft marked the second-straight year that Ohio State had at least two defensive linemen taken in the same draft. The last time Ohio State had two-straight years of multiple defensive linemen taken was 2019-2020.
- 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.
  - With Caleb Downs (Dallas Cowboys), Davison Igbinosun (Buffalo Bills) and Lorenzo Styles Jr. (New Orleans Saints) all be selected in the 2026 NFL Draft, it marked the third time in the Ryan Day era (2019-Present) that the Buckeyes had three defensive backs taken in a single year.
    - Ohio State (2026, 2025, 2020) is one of two schools (Miami – 2026, 2024, 2019) to have at least three defensive backs selected in the same draft during that span.
  - The three defensive backs selected in 2026 ranks tied for first in this year's class with Arizona and Miami.
- Tight Ends:
  - Ohio State became the first school this decade to have two tight ends selected in the same NFL Draft, with Max Klare going 61st overall in Round 2 to the Rams and Will Kacmarek going 87th overall in Round 3 to the Dolphins.
    - They were also the first tight end duo in school history to be drafted in the same class.
  - Additionally, with Ohio State tight end Max Klare being selected in the second round by the LA Rams. Klare and Kacmarek became the fourth and fifth tight ends 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)
    - Will Kacmarek (2026: 87th Overall, 3rd Round – Miami Dolphins)
    - Ryan Day has now had the most tight ends selected in the NFL Draft of any head coach during his tenure at Ohio State.
  - Ohio State is one of two schools in the country to have three tight ends selected over the last three drafts.
- Offensive Line:
  - Ethan Onianwa was selected 231st overall in the seventh round of the 2026 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons. Onianwa was the 12th Buckeyes offensive lineman drafted during Ryan Day era (2019-Present).
- 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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