NFL Draft profile and projection for defensive end Caden Curry

Caden Curry started out the 2025 season as one of the most dominant defensive linemen in the country. He slowed a bit as the year went on, and his stock in mock drafts slowly slid after a pretty high ceiling in some to start with. But we're past the time for mock drafts. With the actual draft rapidly approaching, we're ready to see where Curry lands. So what we can expect to see from the standout Buckeye this weekend?

Caden Curry, Defensive End

Ohio State Buckeyes defensive end Caden Curry (92) tackles Penn State Nittany Lions running back Kaytron Allen (13) in the first half of the college football game at Ohio Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025 in Columbus, Ohio.

Draft Projection: Rounds 4-6

Curry has huge potential. He is a disruptive force with an excellent first step who can take control of both the rushing and passing game. However, he is a bit undersized for an NFL lineman. He's definitely too small to cover the center of the line, and scouts seem to have some concerns about his ability to penetrate bigger offensive linemen. That didn't bother him too much in college, but in the NFL it could matter.

When Curry was getting after the quarterback on a significant percentage of snaps, some analysts were wowed enough to bump him off draft boards. But that seemingly wasn't sustainable. Now he's just a very good starting NFL lineman. That will earn him a draft pick, and a decent one at that, but he's probably not worth the risk of a high round. Expect him to be closer to the fifth or sixth than the fourth, but definitely expect his name to be called.

This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: