Ryan Day describes how he took in 2025 NFL Draft with large number of Ohio State selections

Ohio State tied an all-time program and conference record, and came one shy of tying the all-time draft record, for most players selected in one draft during the 2025 NFL Draft. Still, with none in the green room and those players all over the country, Ryan Day had to consume the draft much more like a fan than as their head coach.

Day discussed the draft, with 14 names from the Buckeyes coming off the board last week, in an interview on the ‘College GameDay Podcast’ on Wednesday. That started with his pride in those players considering they were made up of his first incoming class in Columbus. They also like where all of them, including the trio who have since signed elsewhere, are heading as far as their first teams in the NFL.

“Exciting. Yeah, um, to watch guys who, that this class really was, was the first class that we saw all the way from recruiting all the way to the end. And, it started with Jack Sawyer, really was the first one to commit in that class. And then, and then it went all the way, you know, to this year,” Day said.

“Now they’re going into the NFL prepared and that’s something we talk about a lot here. It’s a lot easier to get to the NFL. It’s harder to stay in the NFL. And so, we wanted to make sure that they had the right fit, you know, and the place that they get drafted gets a lot of attention. We were excited about the fit for our guys, and we’re excited about all 14 guys who get drafted and then the three guys who went undrafted who signed as well afterwards.”

Ohio State started off with four picks in the back half of the first round on Thursday with WR Emeka Egbuka (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), OL Donovan Jackson (Minnesota Vikings), DT Tyleik Williams (Detroit Lions), and LT Josh Simmons (Kansas City Chiefs). The Buckeyes then had three more picks on Friday in the second round with RB Quinshon Judkins (Cleveland Browns), RB TreVeyon Henderson (New England Patriots), and DE J.T. Tuimoloau (Indianapolis Colts).

Saturday is when the other half of that group was selected in rounds four through seven with LB Cody Simon (Arizona Cardinals), DB Lathan Ransom (Carolina Panthers), DE Jack Sawyer (Pittsburgh Steelers), DT Ty Hamilton (Los Angeles Rams), DB Jordan Hancock (Buffalo Bills), CB Denzel Burke (Arizona Cardinals), and QB Will Howard (Pittsburgh Steelers). Since then, OL Seth McLaughlin (Cincinnati Bengals), OT Josh Fryar (Arizona Cardinals), and TE Gee Scott Jr. (New England Patriots) have been signed as free agents following the draft.

With that many Buckeyes available over the three days, Day said he watched the draft from home to take it all in pick by pick. That included a group chat for all of them to be able to share the experience with one another as they heard their names called.

“Yeah, that was the way it was during COVID when, you know, that draft happened, which was very unique obviously. But this was the first time, other than COVID, where we watched it at home the first round and then that was exactly it. We just were at home and was with the family and watched it all unfold, which was really exciting and really cool,” Day said. “Now, it gets late into the night, so you know, you start watching the rest of the draft through your toes in bed.

“We had a great group text. We put all the guys, including Mick, on a group text, and so we just continued, throughout the whole weekend, to talk to each other, encourage each other, congratulate the guys that got drafted, a little banter back and forth. So, it was great and then, into Friday and Saturday.”

This class meant a lot to this tenure, considering they got to see them through high school into being national champions in college before becoming draft picks. Ohio State will now get to enjoy how each of their professional careers go with that record total going into the NFL.