Where Emeka Egbuka, Josh Simmons rank among Ohio State football’s NFL Draft hopefuls

COLUMBUS, Ohio — In the latest episode of Buckeye Talk, co-hosts Stephen Means, Stefan Krajisnik and Andrew Gillis ranked the NFL prospects in the Ohio State sphere — ranging from players eligible for the 2025 NFL Draft to recruits committed to the Buckeyes.

While receiver Jeremiah Smith and 2027 quarterback Brady Edmunds were among the top future NFL hopefuls, per the co-hosts, it raised the question of how underrated some of the current prospects headed to the NFL are.

“Josh Simmons and Emeka (Egbuka) are in a interesting spot in this conversation because I think they’re the two most likely first round picks this year,” Krajisnik said.

This observation shifted the discussion to the immediate impact Ohio State will have on the upcoming NFL Draft, with several Buckeyes positioned to hear their names called early.

Despite the excitement surrounding future prospects, the hosts acknowledged that players like Egbuka and Simmons represent the program’s immediate draft impact.

“The consensus right now has Josh Simmons at 23 (overall), Emeka at 33, Donovan Jackson at 38, TreVeyon Henderson at 42 and Tyleik Williams at 44,” Means said. “That’s the top 50 picks, according to the consensus.”

This data sparked a discussion about draft “floors” and the relative certainty surrounding current prospects compared to the projection required for younger players.

“I think we have to incorporate floor a bit,” Krajisnik said. “Josh Simmons and Emeka aren’t getting past, like, 35. They could fall to the second round, but they’re not going deep in the second round, and they’re probably going to be first round picks.”