Could $20M in NIL money power NFL Draft record for Ohio State in 2025?

ESPN published a story Monday by Jake Trotter detailing how Ohio State used part of $20 million in NIL money to assemble an Avengers-like team of transfer players. The roster upgrades seem to have been heavily influenced by three straight losses to Michigan.

Trotter quoted an NFL scout as describing the Buckeyes roster as “pound for pound, player for player [having] as many good players as any [college football] team that I can remember.”

In June, former head coach Urban Meyer told WBNS reporter Adam King that he believes “this is one of the most talented rosters in the last decade, maybe ever.”

“This is one of the most talented rosters in the last decade, maybe ever.”

Urban Meyer with quite the statement about this years Buckeye team. He says he’s never seen anything like the talent in the Woody.

Jim Tressel agrees, he says there is greatness everywhere you look. pic.twitter.com/2S8u6WQfKU

— Adam King (@AdamKing10TV) June 18, 2024

But how accurate are those statements? Well, one metric would be NFL Draft potential.

Ohio State has produced 486 draft selections since the first draft in 1936, good for third all-time among all schools, per 247Sports. Just in this century, Ohio State has the most draft selections of any school with 167 — its best year was 2004 when 14 players were picked, according to 247Sports.

ESPN projected in July that four Buckeyes are likely to be selected in the first round in 2025: WR Emeka Egbuka, edge-rusher JT Tuimoloau, DT Tyleik Williams and RB Quinshon Judkins.

In addition to those, The Columbus Dispatch listed 14 more players who could be selected overall, bringing the potential total to 18. If that were to pan out, Ohio State’s 2025 draft class would not only surpass its 12 selections from 2016 (making it the best of the decade as Meyer said) but also those from 2004 (making it the best of this century).

That total would also smash the draft record set by Georgia in 2021 when it had 15 players selected from its national title team.

Of course, $20 million can lure a lot of talent, but unless national title hardware is lifted in January, the jury is still out on this apparent Ohio State juggernaut.