Ohio State linebacker Tommy Eichenberg selected No. 148 overall by Las Vegas Raiders
COLUMBUS — Tommy Eichenberg was a superstar linebacker and team captain for Ohio State for the last two years as a starter in an improving defense.
Now he’s heading to an NFL locker room ready to make an impact at the next level.
Eichenberg was selected No. 148 overall by the Las Vegas Raiders on Saturday afternoon, the third and final day of the 2024 NFL Draft.
Eichenberg is the fourth Buckeyes player to be selected joining wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., who was selected No. 4 overall by the Arizona Cardinals; defensive tackle Mike Hall, who was taken by the Cleveland Browns with the 54th overall pick; and tight end Cade Stover, who was selected 123rd overall by the Houston Texans.
Eichenberg believes he can stand out in the NFL early in his career.
“My love for the game is unmatched,” Eichenberg said at the NFL Combine in late February. “And I feel like that could help me stick out from a lot of guys.”
He now has a chance to stand out on the Raiders defense. He was worth a fifth-round pick on Saturday.
Ohio State players still on the board include linebacker Steele Chambers, safety Josh Proctor, wide receiver Xavier Johnson, running back Miyan Williams and offensive lineman Matthew Jones. Of the five remaining Buckeyes draftees, Proctor is most likely to be selected in the draft.
Recruiting background from Tommy Eichenberg
From Lettermen Row’s Andy Backstrom:
Tommy Eichenberg was the No. 10 Ohio prospect coming out of St. Ignatius High School in 2019. After leading the team with 81 tackles and 7.5 sacks as a junior, the Cleveland native upped those totals with 126 tackles and eight sacks as a senior. That stat line featured 80 solos, 23 TFLs, five pass break-ups, seven quarterback hurries, five forced fumbles and an interception. Eichenberg, a first-team All-Ohio selection, helped St. Ignatius to an 8-3 record and state playoff appearance that year, most of which he spent at middle linebacker after switching over from outside linebacker.
Eichenberg held scholarship offers from the likes of Duke, Purdue, Michigan State, Iowa, Minnesota, Kentucky and Boston College, which he originally committed to in June ahead of his senior season. But when Ohio State came calling that fall, everything changed. Eichenberg, experiencing a recruitment surge after moving to middle linebacker, ultimately decommitted from BC and instead chose the Buckeyes, even though Michigan entered the mix as well. Although Eichenberg privately committed to Ohio State while Urban Meyer was still head coach, he was publicly the first commit of the Ryan Day era.
