Ohio State football coach Ryan Day sets hefty expectations for recruiting

Ryan Day has lofty goals for Ohio State football — and the recruits who would play there.

Since Day took over the program in 2018 following Urban Meyer's retirement, the Buckeyes have not only won the 2024 College Football Playoff national championship, but also have a 79-12 overall record and a 54-5 mark in Big Ten Conference play.

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With the success, Day revealed during an appearance on former Ohio State defensive tackle Cam Heyward's podcast "Not Just Football" that Ohio State has strict recruiting standards for high school players seeking to play collegiate football in Columbus, Ohio.

"Across the board at Ohio State, there's an expectation when you come here, you're coming to be a first- or second-rounder, regardless of your position," Day said. "Just like, if we don't win games and championships, they're going to find a new coach. Well, if you're not a first- or second-rounder, then this probably is not the right place for you."

The Buckeyes have produced five first-round picks at the wide receiver position since 2022, earning the university the moniker of "Wide Receiver U. In the latest USA TODAY mock draft, the Buckeyes are projected to have four players selected in the first eight picks: linebacker Arvell Reese, safety Caleb Downs, linebacker Sonny Styles and wide receiver Carnell Tate.

In the 2025 NFL Draft, the Buckeyes had 14 players selected across the seven rounds. Half of those players went in the first two rounds, meaning the others were selected in Rounds 3-7. It’s not a stretch to assume several players from Ohio State’s 2026 roster will follow suit.

1. New York Jets - Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana

2. New York Jets – Arvell Reese, LB/DE, Ohio State

3. Arizona Cardinals – David Bailey, DE/OLB, Texas Tech

4. Tennessee Titans – Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State

5. New York Giants – Spencer Fano, OT, Utah

6. Cleveland Browns – Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami (Fla.)

7. Washington Commanders – Rueben Bain Jr., DE, Miami (Fla.)

8. New Orleans Saints – Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame

9. Kansas City Chiefs – Keldric Faulk, DE, Auburn

10. Cincinnati Bengals – Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State

11. Miami Dolphins – Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee

12. Dallas Cowboys – Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State

13. Los Angeles Rams (from Atlanta Falcons) – Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU

14. Baltimore Ravens – Peter Woods, DT, Clemson

15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Cashius Howell, OLB, Texas A&M

16. New York Jets (from Indianapolis Colts) – Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State

17. Detroit Lions – Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah

18. Minnesota Vikings – Brandon Cisse, CB, South Carolina

19. Carolina Panthers – Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama

20. Dallas Cowboys (from Green Bay Packers) – Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson

21. Pittsburgh Steelers – Makai Lemon, WR, USC

22. Los Angeles Chargers – Kayden McDonald, DT, Ohio State

23. Philadelphia Eagles – Olaivavega Ioane, G, Penn State

24. Cleveland Browns (from Jacksonville Jaguars) – KC Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M

25. Chicago Bears – Caleb Banks, DT, Florida

26. Buffalo Bills – Denzel Boston, WR, Washington

27. San Francisco 49ers – Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon

28. Houston Texans – Emmanuel Pregnon, G, Oregon

29. Los Angeles Rams – Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia

30. New England Patriots – Zion Young, DE, Missouri

31. Denver Broncos – CJ Allen, LB, Georgia

32. Seattle Seahawks – Colton Hood, CB, Tennessee

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NFL mock draft: First-round projection with order set after Super Bowl

1. New York Jets - Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana

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NFL mock draft: First-round projection with order set after Super Bowl

1. New York Jets - Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana

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NFL mock draft: First-round projection with order set after Super Bowl

2. New York Jets – Arvell Reese, LB/DE, Ohio State

3 / 32

NFL mock draft: Big-name prospect drops in latest first-round projection

3. Arizona Cardinals – David Bailey, DE/OLB, Texas Tech

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NFL mock draft: First-round projection with order set after Super Bowl

4. Tennessee Titans – Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State

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NFL mock draft: First-round projection with order set after Super Bowl

5. New York Giants – Spencer Fano, OT, Utah

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NFL mock draft: First-round projection with order set after Super Bowl

6. Cleveland Browns – Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami (Fla.)

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NFL mock draft: First-round projection with order set after Super Bowl

7. Washington Commanders – Rueben Bain Jr., DE, Miami (Fla.)

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NFL mock draft: Big-name prospect drops in latest first-round projection

8. New Orleans Saints – Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame

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NFL mock draft: Big-name prospect drops in latest first-round projection

9. Kansas City Chiefs – Keldric Faulk, DE, Auburn

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NFL mock draft: Big-name prospect drops in latest first-round projection

10. Cincinnati Bengals – Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State

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NFL mock draft: Big-name prospect drops in latest first-round projection

11. Miami Dolphins – Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee

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NFL mock draft: Big-name prospect drops in latest first-round projection

12. Dallas Cowboys – Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State

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NFL mock draft: Big-name prospect drops in latest first-round projection

13. Los Angeles Rams (from Atlanta Falcons) – Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU

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14. Baltimore Ravens – Peter Woods, DT, Clemson

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NFL mock draft: Top-10 surprises in latest first-round projection

15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Cashius Howell, OLB, Texas A&M

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NFL mock draft: Big-name prospect drops in latest first-round projection

16. New York Jets (from Indianapolis Colts) – Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State

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2026 NFL mock draft: Where do College Football Playoff top stars rate?

17. Detroit Lions – Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah

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NFL mock draft: First-round projection going into the scouting combine

18. Minnesota Vikings – Brandon Cisse, CB, South Carolina

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NFL mock draft: First-round projection with order set after Super Bowl

19. Carolina Panthers – Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama

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NFL mock draft: Big-name prospect drops in latest first-round projection

20. Dallas Cowboys (from Green Bay Packers) – Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson

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NFL mock draft: First-round projection after Trent McDuffie trade

21. Pittsburgh Steelers – Makai Lemon, WR, USC

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2026 NFL mock draft: Where do College Football Playoff top stars rate?

22. Los Angeles Chargers – Kayden McDonald, DT, Ohio State

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NFL mock draft: First-round projection with order set after Super Bowl

23. Philadelphia Eagles – Olaivavega Ioane, G, Penn State

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NFL mock draft: Free agency, trades change first-round projection

24. Cleveland Browns (from Jacksonville Jaguars) – KC Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M

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NFL mock draft: First-round projection with order set after Super Bowl

25. Chicago Bears – Caleb Banks, DT, Florida

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Ranking top 25 prospects for 2026 NFL Draft

26. Buffalo Bills – Denzel Boston, WR, Washington

27 / 32

NFL mock draft: Big-name prospect drops in latest first-round projection

27. San Francisco 49ers – Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon

28 / 32

2026 NFL mock draft: Where do College Football Playoff top stars rate?

28. Houston Texans – Emmanuel Pregnon, G, Oregon

29 / 32

NFL mock draft: Big-name prospect drops in latest first-round projection

29. Los Angeles Rams – Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia

30 / 32

2026 NFL mock draft: Where do College Football Playoff top stars rate?

30. New England Patriots – Zion Young, DE, Missouri

31 / 32

NFL mock draft: First-round projection going into the scouting combine

31. Denver Broncos – CJ Allen, LB, Georgia

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NFL mock draft: Big-name prospect drops in latest first-round projection

32. Seattle Seahawks – Colton Hood, CB, Tennessee

However, that does not mean every player Day has recruited has been a first- or second-round pick. Former Ohio State linebacker Dre'Mont Jones — a third-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft — had some fun with Day's statement on social media.

"(Expletive) coach, that some tough [expletive] standards lol but shoutout to all us 3rd-8th round Buckeyes that made far in the league though. I’m proud of us lol," Jones wrote in his post.

Ohio State draftees since Ryan Day took over in 2018

Players drafted third round or later in parentheses

• 2019: 9 (6)
• 2020: 10 (6)
• 2021: 10 (7)
• 2022: 6 (4)
• 2023: 6 (3)
• 2024: 4 (2)
• 2025: 14 (7)
• Total: 59 (35)

Ray has produced 59 players taken in the NFL draft since taking over for the 2018 college football season. Of that group, 35 have been drafted in the third round or later — 59.3%.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ryan Day tells future recruits Ohio State only for 1st-, 2nd-round NFL draft picks