One thing the Browns had been criticized for in most of its post-expansion era is not drafting former Ohio State players. But that has changed in the last decade.
Starting with Denzel Ward in 2018, the Browns have drafted five former Buckeyes in the last seven NFL drafts. They also signed Ronnie Hickman as an undrafted free agent in 2023 and have just signed veteran linebacker Jerome Baker, giving them six former Buckeyes on their roster.
The Buckeyes, fresh off a national championship, had 15 players at the NFL Combine. So it won’t be shocking if Ohio State has a busy weekend at the 2025 NFL Draft.
Here are three of those OSU draft prospects who could be great fits for the Browns.
3. QB Will Howard
I don’t think you can talk Ohio State draft prospects and the Browns without having a Howard discussion. Howard made himself more money in the College Football Playoff than anyone else, as he played very well on OSU’s way to a title.
He was no doubt helped by having elite talent around him, particularly freshman WR Jeremiah Smith, who might have been the first player taken in this draft if he were eligible. But that doesn’t change how well Howard played in the postseason.
When he played with an aggressive mentality as a passer, you saw Howard make plenty of plays, despite not having the strongest arm. He may never be a superstar, but he was accurate, and his frame (6-4, 236 pounds) and running ability make him an interesting early Day 3 option if the Browns want to double-dip at quarterback.
2. WR Emeka Egbuka
I had the Browns drafting Egbuka with the 33rd pick in my latest mock draft earlier this month. The Browns do have a good No. 1 receiver in Jerry Jeudy and a tight end in David Njoku who has made a Pro Bowl.
But beyond them, they could use competition at the skill positions.
Egbuka is almost a clone of Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who has become a centerpiece of a revamped Seahawks offense. Egbuka may not have game-breaking speed, but he is extremely fluid and has a high level of nuance as a route runner. And as Smith-Njigba and Amon-Ra St. Brown have proven, you can be a stud receiver with a slot skillset like Egbuka has.
A trio of Jeudy, Egbuka and Cedric Tillman could be an intriguing group of receivers for a young quarterback to grow with.
1. RB TreVeyon Henderson
Other than quarterback, no position on the Browns needs an injection of talent and depth more than running back. The good news for them is this is one of the deepest running back drafts in recent memory.
Fellow Buckeye Quinshon Judkins is also an intriguing fit with the Browns, because his powerful running style could be a great complement to Jerome Ford’s speed and work as a pass catcher.
But I opted to go for Henderson because of the pure explosiveness he has as a runner. He had an explosive run rate (percentage of carries going for 10 yards or more) of 25.5% in 2024, which far exceeds the numbers Jonathan Taylor (19.1%) and Nick Chubb (18.8%) had in their respective draft seasons.
The Browns need to rebuild the running game, and there’s no guarantee Chubb, if he returns in 2025, can get back to being the player he was before his knee injury in 2023. Henderson can immediately inject some explosiveness that the Browns haven’t had since prime Chubb.
