Five Ohio State football players who can help themselves most at the NFL Scouting Combine

Ohio State defensive tackles Davon Hamilton and Jashon Cornell team up to bring down Michigan State running back Elijah Collins after a short gain in the second quarter at Ohio Stadium on October 5, 2019.

Ohio State defensive tackle DaVon Hamilton (53) helped his 2020 NFL Draft with his performance at the Reese's Senior Bowl. Can he help himself further this week at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis?Getty Images

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The only team taking more participants to this week’s NFL Scouting Combine than Ohio State football is the one that claimed the national championship the Buckeyes coveted.

LSU and former OSU quarterback Joe Burrow earned its collective moment in the spotlight. The 11 former Ohio State players in Indianapolis this week range from sure-first top-of-the-first-round stars to those riding the fence between draft pick and undrafted free agent.

Five Buckeyes who can help themselves in front of scouts, coaches and general managers at this week’s combine:

Penn State football photos of the decade

Former Ohio State cornerback Damon Arnette is predicted to go in the second round of early mock NFL Drafts.

Damon Arnette Jr.

The first cornerback off the board at the draft will be an Ohio State product. Could Jeff Okudah also be the first of two Buckeyes to go in the first round?

That may be a big jump for Arnette, who broke up eight passes in 2019 and improved his previously lukewarm draft standing. The occasional lapses in discipline that cost him flags in the past were not as much of an issue in 2020. He also bolstered his reputation as a physical press man defender and solid tackler.

Arnette has been widely predicted to go in the second round. If he tests well this week and the right teams need corner help at the bottom of the first round, perhaps he can sneak into the top 32.

Where will Ohio State football’s Damon Arnette be taken in NFL Draft 2020?

Ohio State safety Jordan Fuller celebrates in the fourth quarter of the 2019 Big Ten Football Championship game victory over Wisconsin.

Former Ohio State safety projects as a mid-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.Getty Images

Jordan Fuller

The combine is not all about bench press reps and those televised 40-yard dashes. Teams want to meet and connect with players, getting to known them one-on-one and learn more about their makeup and what kind of person they might be drafting.

Fuller should do very well in those situations, but based on his academic and social reputation, he probably won’t surprise anyone either. In the pysical testing, however, he can perhaps convince some opponents to pull him up their draft boards. Size (6-2, 205) and character will not be an issue. What also can he show teams in terms of athleticism?

How Ohio State football’s Jordan Fuller erases big-play mistakes for the Buckeyes

Ohio State university versus University of Maryland football game

Former Ohio State defensive tackle DaVon Hamilton could be selected on the second day of the 2020 NFL Draft.David Petkiewicz, cleveland.com

DaVon Hamilton

Hamilton turned in a solid senior season as the nose tackle in OSU’s four-man defensive front. That same role seems to be his most natural fit at the next level, where he can be a run-stopping cog on an even front. His 10.5 tackles for loss and six sacks showed some acumen for disrupting in the backfield as well.

The questions is whether Hamilton needs to also entice some 3-4 teams to consider him as well. About a third of the defensive tackles at last year’s combine weighed in above Hamilton’s 310 pounds, but he’s in the ballpark of the size that would make him a contender for that odd-front role. Can he back it up by showing his strength this week.

Ohio State football’s K.J. Hill, DaVon Hamilton among Senior Bowl’s top practice players

Ohio State left guard Jonah Jackson (73).

Offensive lineman Jonah Jackson used his one season with Ohio State to improve his NFL Draft stock.

Jonah Jackson

One of three Ohio State players who helped his draft stock at the Senior Bowl, Jackson made the most of his his lone season as a Buckeye. The former Rutgers guard enters the spring as a credible mid-round NFL Draft prospect, with some early mocks giving him a fourth-round projection.

Could he climb into the second day? Even by interior offensive line standards, Jackson’s 6-2, 305-pound listing at OSU is not massive. Yet he keeps impressing with technique: hand usage, footwork and close-quarters power. For teams who don’t trust their eyes, Jackson can augment his film by testing well in the agility drills. (He’s also another player who should ace his personal interactions with teams.)

Where will Ohio State football’s Jonah Jackson be taken in NFL Draft 2020?

The OSU Buckeyes take on the Cincinnati Bears in Columbus

Wide receiver Binjimen Victor is one Ohio State player trying to show NFL scouts more at this week's scouting combine in Indianapolis.David Petkiewicz, cleveland.com

Binjimen Victor

The Ohio State receiver rotation spread the opportunities for big film moments pretty thin. Those opportunities diminished even more in 2020, with the Buckeyes rolling up big margins early and rarely throwing late in games.

Victor still produced a few highlight-worthy moments, making tough catches over the top and as a red zone target. He can augment that film by proving himself athletically this week. The measurables released Monday were a mixed bag. Victor’s 6-3 3/4 height is good, but his 170-pound weight is light. His arm length (34 1/8) and wingspan (81 1/2) are solid, but his hand width (9 5/8) is nothing special.

He may have a sixth-round ceiling, unless he can impress in speed and agility drills or in the route sessions with quarterbacks.

Why Binjimen Victor felt he “had no choice” but to step up as a leader this season


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