Gridiron Heroics partners with Draft Scout to give each school’s Top 5 NFL Draft prospects in the Big Ten. Welcome to a list of the Ohio State Top 5 NFL Draft prospects for 2023, as seen by Draft Scout.
Each week brings us closer and closer to one of the most anticipated days on the sports calendar — the NFL Draft. This year’s draft will be held in Kansas City, Mo. from April 27-29. Starting today? We take a look at the Big Ten seniors, the class of 2023. Since we don’t know yet which underclassmen will declare? We’ll reconfigure the rankings when that happens, so be sure to revisit us.
Our Big Ten Draft prospect series will run beginning Nov. 14 and will run for the next week, with three schools running per day in alphabetical order. A master conference list of the Big Ten’s Top 20 NFL draft prospects will wrap things up on Monday, Nov. 21. Please check the team links below frequently so you can check out the other schools’ top prospects as the week progresses.
BIG TEN TOP 20 PROSPECTS: Overall Big Ten Top Prospect List
BIG TEN EAST PROSPECTS: Indiana | Maryland | Michigan | Michigan State | Ohio State | Penn State | Rutgers
BIG TEN WEST PROSPECTS: Illinois | Iowa | Minnesota| Nebraska | Northwestern| Purdue| Wisconsin
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So, we all know that not every team in the country has five surefire draft picks on it. Some programs do, especially in some of the more elite conferences, but the vast majority don’t have that many top-flight prospects. But, we also know that the definition “top-flight” doesn’t always pan out, and at the same time that strong undrafted free agent everybody forgot? He ends up making the NFL and flourishing.
Below is a look at the Ohio State Top 5 Draft Prospects, and how they project in the eyes of Draft Scout. Again, for now, we’ll go strictly with seniors (c/o 2023), as no underclassmen have been allowed to declare earlier yet, though when they do? We’ll update the lists below.
OHIO STATE TOP 5 NFL DRAFT PROSPECTS
NO. 1 PROSPECT
NAME: Zach Harrison (DE)
DRAFTSCOUT PROJECTION: 2nd round
CAREER STATISTICS: A true senior majoring in Psychology, Harrison also brings his talents to the Gridiron every Saturday. He leads the team with 17.5 tackles and 9.5 sacks. The most experienced defensive end on the team leads games played with 33 and has 14 starts.
THE TRUTH: The truth about a gem like Harrison is he’s a big man at 6’5″ and 272 lbs. He has great speed for his size as he has clocked in a 4.64. A rare finding in this draft class, Harrison can wreck havoc in opposing team’s backfield and get after the quarterback. It’s a passing league now in the NFL and teams will be lucky to grab a high-motor and energetic guy like Harrison.
NO. 2 PROSPECT
NAME: Cameron Brown (CB)
DRAFTSCOUT PROJECTION: 2nd round
CAREER STATISTICS: In his fifth season with the Buckeyes, Brown is one of the most experienced cornerbacks on the team. In 2021, the graduate student gathered 24 tackles, seven pass break-ups and an interception. His first collegiate interception came in a win over conference rival Penn State. He graduated this past May with his degree in human development and family sciences.
THE TRUTH: Brown is the perfect size for an NFL corner at 6’0″, 192 lbs. He is a very physical corner who will come up and make a crashing tackle in the backfield. He is also underrated in coverage, despite having just one interception in his career. Brown will have to improve on his cover skills, but he is ready for those corner blitz’s. Look for the solid corner to be a day 2 pick in the 2023 NFL draft.
NO. 3 PROSPECT
NAME: Dawand Jones (OT)
DRAFTSCOUT PROJECTION: 2nd round
CAREER STATISTICS: A true senior and an absolute monster, Jones is a huge player to say the least. The veteran offensive tackle has played in 28 games and has made 14 starts . Last season, the big man was named a Pro Football Focus third team All-American and a second team All-Big Ten Conference recognition after starting all 13 games for the Buckeyes.
THE TRUTH: At 6’8″, 359 lbs. Jones is bigger than a man walking on stilts in the street. Don’t let that fool you, as he is very athletic and moves well for such a big offensive lineman. He has freakish strength with his arms and also has very quick feet to move smaller defenders out of the way. While he has been able to rely on his natural strength and considerable size in college, he will have to keep himself in shape if he makes it to the pros. If he does that, we will have a heck of a Day 2 offensive tackle on our hands.
NO. 4 PROSPECT
NAME: Josh Proctor (SS)
DRAFTSCOUT PROJECTION: 3rd round
CAREER STATISTICS: In his fifth year with OSU, Proctor has had quite the career at Strong Safety. He’s played in 31 games and has made five starts over the last three years with the Buckeyes. In the Big Ten Championship game vs. Northwestern, the fifth year senior had four tackles, one interception, and one pass defended. In 2021, he started the first two games and made 10 tackles against Oregon, but was injured midway through the season.
THE TRUTH: Proctor is a big, hard hitting safety which is perfect for pass-breakups and caused fumbles. At 6’1″, 205 lbs. he can also play man or zone coverage and create turnovers for himself and the team. Being the ultimate team player that he is, his individual play speaks louder for his teammates than his words. Look for Proctor to be a 3rd round pick for a team that will need safety help in the 2023 NFL draft.
NO. 5 PROSPECT
NAME: Matthew Jones (OG)
DRAFTSCOUT PROJECTION: 6th-7th round
CAREER STATISTICS: Jones is another big offensive line prospect to watch out for on OSU. As a veteran on-the-line, the graduate student has played in 29 games and has started in five of them. He has also played 427 snaps from scrimmage in 2021 and was named honorable mention for the All-Big-Ten-Conference.
THE TRUTH: Jones is a big guard at 6’3″, 315 lbs. He’s not as gigantic as fellow offensive line teammate Dawand Jones, but he adds another big 300 lb. lineman to the total weight of the entire Buckeyes O-line. The impactful guard is a durable lineman who rarely gets injured and is ready for every snap. He is prepared and in the starting lineup most of the time and keeps himself in game shape. His veteran experience on the line makes him a team leader and his excellence on the field doesn’t go unnoticed. Look for the epic lineman to go in either the 6th or 7th round in the 2023 NFL draft.
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4 Comments
Nice article
As long as they lose to Michigan and drop out of the playoff, they can all go to the NFL
OH-IO! Awesome article from a great guy
Great analysis!