The Best Ohio State Buckeyes To Play in the NFL
Ohio State Buckeyes That Went On To Have Stellar NFL Careers
The Ohio State Buckeyes hold a strong claim to being named the most successful college program in terms of producing NFL talent.
No other college team can match the sheer number of top-tier talent to come through Ohio State’s campus.
FACT: As of 2023, Ohio State has produced the most first-round selections in the NFL Draft of all college football (90).
The consistency and success of Ohio State make it all the more difficult to narrow down a list of the best Buckeyes to come out of Columbus, Ohio.
The eight-time national champions have a long list of talented NFL players to sift through, going back decades.
So who are the best Buckeyes to play in the NFL?
Ohio State Buckeyes NFL Facts (as of 2021):
Number of Players Drafted in the NFL: 467
Number One Overall Picks: 3
Number of First-Round Picks: 90
The year with the most Buckeyes in a single Draft: 2004 (14)
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5) Bill Willis: Defensive Lineman
Time with Ohio State: 1942-1944
Entered the NFL: Broke the NFL colour barrier by signing and playing for the Cleveland Browns in 1964
NFL Highlights: Pro Football Hall of Famer, NFL Champion, 4x First-Team All-Pro, 3x Pro-Bowls, 1940’s All-Decade Team, Cleveland Browns Ring of Honour
Analysts can make the case that Willis is the best NFL player to come out of Ohio State.
There’s no debate that Willis was the most important Buckeye alum to play in the NFL.
A dominant defensive lineman, Willis became one of the first two African Americans to play professional football in the modern era when he signed and played for the Cleveland Browns in September 1946.
A year before Jackie Robinson broke Major League Baseball’s colour barrier with the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Willis played eight seasons for the Browns and was part of a dominant team that won the All-American Football Conference four seasons running.
Cleveland joined the NFL in 1950 and was crowned champions in their first season in the competition, with Willis a key part of the roster.
He was named first-team All-Pro every season he played professional football.
His accolades earned playing football speak for themselves but perhaps even more impressive is how Willis conducted himself off the field.
Willis retired in 1954 to focus on helping troubled youth, first as Cleveland's assistant recreation commissioner and later as the chairman of the Ohio Youth Commission.
Willis paved the way for the thousands of African-American players in the NFL since his debut in 1946.
4) Cris Carter: Wide Reciever
Time with Ohio State: 1984-1986
Entered the NFL: 4th round pick in 1987 Supplemental Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles
NFL Highlights: Pro Football Hall of Famer, 2x First-Team All-Pro, 8x Pro-Bowls, NFL 1990’s All-Decade Team
Carter excelled in college football. In fact, he was selected as a member of the Ohio State Football All-Century Team in 2000.
He went on to become one of the most dominant receivers to ever grace the NFL. Cris Carter was a threat to reach the endzone from anywhere on the field.
At the time of his retirement, Carter trailed only Jerry Rice in career receptions (1,101) and touchdowns (130), placing him second in NFL history in both categories.
Although he has since been overtaken by a few players in each category, he remains one of only 14 players in NFL history with 1,000 or more receptions.
Carter was solid but perhaps unspectacular with the Eagles from 1987 to 1989.
However, it was with the Vikings that Carter made his mark and became a franchise legend.
He holds the team records for catches (1,004), receiving TDs (110), receiving yards (12,383), and the most 100-yard receiving games (40).
Despite never earning a Super Bowl victory, Carter was part of 10 post-season campaigns in his career and a key contributor to the Viking’s success throughout the 1990s. Carter was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2013.
3) Paul Warfield: Wide Reciever
Time with Ohio State: 1961-1963
Entered the NFL: 1st Round Pick (11th Overall) by the Cleveland Browns in 1964
NFL Highlights: Pro Football Hall of Famer, 2x Super Bowl Champion, 2x First-Team All-Pro, 8x Pro-Bowls, NFL 100th All-Anniversary Team
Warfield did it all at Ohio State, almost literally.
He excelled on both sides of the ball as a star cornerback and running back.
However, Warfield was also an accomplished track athlete for the Buckeyes athletics program, for whom he competed as a broad jumper, hurdler, and sprinter.
There were rumours the Browns would make Warfield a full-time cornerback upon drafting him in 1964.
However, his play at wide receiver during training camp as a rookie impressed head coach Blanton Collier.
The rest is history.
In his first full season as a receiver at any level of football, Warfield caught 52 passes for 920 yards and nine touchdowns as a rookie.
His only NFL Championship with Cleveland would come that same season.
However, Warfield continued to rack up awards before joining the Miami Dolphins in 1970.
In Miami, Warfield won two Super Bowls, including playing a crucial role on the famous 1972 Dolphins team, who remain the only team to go an entire NFL season undefeated.
Warfield was the leading Dolphins receiver in both Super Bowl wins and holds a very special place in NFL history.
2) Orland Pace - Offensive Tackle
Time with Ohio State: 1994-1996
Entered the NFL: First Overall Draft Pick by the St Louis Rams in 1997
NFL Highlights: Pro Football Hall of Famer, Super Bowl Champion, 3x First-Team All-Pro, 7x Pro-Bowls, NFL 2000’s All-Decade Team
Pace made history with the Buckeyes from the very beginning of his college career.
In 1994, he became only the second true freshman ever to start on opening day for the Buckeyes football team.
He went from strength to strength, earning two First-Team All-American awards during his time in college.
Expectations were about as high as they can get when the Rams took Pace with the very first pick in the 1997 NFL Draft. Somehow, Pace probably managed to surpass those expectations.
Pace became the team’s full-time left tackle in 1998 and crucial to one of the most explosive offensive units in NFL history.
“The Greatest Show on Turf” Rams surge to Super Bowl victory in 1999 led by undrafted quarterback Kurt Warner remains one of the best underdog stories in NFL history.
Pace was a wall at left tackle throughout his Rams career during a special era for the offensive tackle position.
Regardless of where you rank Pace in terms of best offensive linemen of all time, he’s certainly among the best Ohio State alums to play in the NFL. He has a Gold Jacket from the 2015 Pro Football Hall of Fame class to prove it.
1) Jim Parker - Offensive Tackle
Time with Ohio State: 1954-1956
Entered the NFL: 1st Round Pick (8th Overall) by the Baltimore Colts in 1957
NFL Highlights: Pro Football Hall of Famer, 2x NFL Champion, 9x First-Team All-Pro, 8x Pro-Bowls, NFL 100th All-Anniversary Team
Parker to this day is considered one of the best offensive linemen to play in the NFL.
He played on both sides of the ball for Ohio State, but eventually switched to offense full-time as his ability to open up lanes for running backs in the Buckeyes offense was considered more valuable.
In the NFL, Parker became the key piece on the Baltimore Colts offensive line that protected legendary quarterback Johnny Unitas.
In a very different, more pass-heavy offense than Parker was used to in college, he nevertheless excelled.
Parker became a 2x NFL Champion with the Colts in 1958 and 1959. He played his first six seasons at offensive tackle, where he earned five Pro Bowl honours, before casually switching to guard and earning three more.
Make no mistake, Parker had the technique, quickness, and strength to take on pass rushers in the modern era. Perhaps if he had played in a later decade, his name would be at the forefront of more fans’ minds.
However, Parker has still been respected and rewarded for his efforts. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 1973 and was an NFL 100 Anniversary All-Time Team Honouree.
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