Advertisement

C.J. Stroud to the Indianapolis Colts? Where OSU players are landing in 2023 NFL mock drafts

colin gay, the columbus dispatch
·4 min read
27

Ohio State football's 2022 season is over.

The Buckeyes ended their season in the College Football Playoff semifinal against Georgia. Now, many players on Ohio State's roster have decisions to make.

While safety Ronnie Hickman has already announced he would be entering the 2023 NFL draft, and linebacker Steele Chambers and wide receiver Julian Fleming have said they would be back at Ohio State in 2023, players like quarterback C.J Stroud and offensive tackle Paris Johnson Jr. have not made their future plans known.

Ohio State football news: Sign up for the Ohio State Sports Insider text group with Dispatch reporters

Javontae Jean-Baptiste enters portal: Ohio State football defensive end Javontae Jean-Baptiste enters NCAA transfer portal

However, Stroud and Johnson, along with wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba and offensive tackle Dawand Jones, are already on NFL teams' radars.

Here's where each stands according to recent NFL mock drafts.

QB C.J. Stroud

Dec 31, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) throws a pass during the second half of the Peach Bowl in the College Football Playoff semifinal at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Ohio State lost 42-41. Mandatory Credit: Adam Cairns-The Columbus Dispatch
Dec 31, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) throws a pass during the second half of the Peach Bowl in the College Football Playoff semifinal at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Ohio State lost 42-41. Mandatory Credit: Adam Cairns-The Columbus Dispatch

CBS Sports: No. 5 Indianapolis Colts

Sports Illustrated: No. 5 Indianapolis Colts

The Draft Network: No. 5 Indianapolis Colts

While Ohio State lost an opportunity to play in the 2023 national championship against TCU, Stroud turned heads in the Peach Bowl against Georgia.

Facing the Bulldogs, Stroud had his seventh game with four passing touchdowns or more, completing 23 of his 34 passes for 348 yards. While he showed more mobility in the run game, four sacks limited the Ohio State quarterback to 34 rushing yards on 12 carries.

Stroud finished the 2022 season with 3,688 passing yards, completing 66.3% of his 389 pass attempts with 41 touchdowns and six interceptions. Named first-team All-Big Ten and the Big Ten Offensive Player and Quarterback of the Year, Stroyd was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy, Manning Award and Maxwell Award, among others.

Most mock drafts have Stroud has the second quarterback off the board behind Alabama quarterback and 2021 Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young, with both CBS Sports and Sports Illustrated putting him on the Indianapolis Colts ahead of quarterbacks like Florida's Anthony Richardson and Kentucky's Will Levis.

OT Paris Johnson Jr.

Dec 31, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes running back Miyan Williams (3) celebrates a rushing touchdown with offensive lineman Paris Johnson Jr. (77) against Georgia Bulldogs during the second quarter of the Peach Bowl in the College Football Playoff semifinal at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Dec 31, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes running back Miyan Williams (3) celebrates a rushing touchdown with offensive lineman Paris Johnson Jr. (77) against Georgia Bulldogs during the second quarter of the Peach Bowl in the College Football Playoff semifinal at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

CBS Sports: No. 10 Philadelphia Eagles

Sports Illustrated: No. 15 New York Jets

The Draft Network: No. 7 Las Vegas Raiders.

Johnson's first season solely at offensive tackle couldn't have gone much better, finishing as a consensus first-team All-American and first-team All-Big Ten for an offensive line that allowed 12 sacks in 13 games.

A 6-foot-6, 310-pound tackle is projected to be one of the first offensive lineman off the board in April.

CBS Sports has Johnson as the first offensive lineman selected at No. 10 by the Philadelphia Eagles, while Sports Illustrated has Johnson at No. 15 to the New York Jets after Georgia offensive tackle Broderick Jones.

The Draft Network has Johnson in the top 10 and as the first offensive lineman off the board with the Las Vegas Raiders at No. 7.

WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Dec 31, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) walks onto the field prior to the Peach Bowl in the College Football Playoff semifinal at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Smith-Njigba did not play due to injury. Mandatory Credit: Adam Cairns-The Columbus Dispatch
Dec 31, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) walks onto the field prior to the Peach Bowl in the College Football Playoff semifinal at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Smith-Njigba did not play due to injury. Mandatory Credit: Adam Cairns-The Columbus Dispatch

CBS Sports: No. 16 Green Bay Packers

Sports Illustrated: No. 17 Green Bay Packers

The Draft Network: No. 31 Kansas City Chiefs

While Smith-Njigba missed most of his junior season with a hamstring injury, NFL mock drafts have the Ohio State receiver as a first-round pick after he declared for the 2023 draft in December.

The 6-foot-1, 200-pound receiver set Ohio State records in 2021 with 95 receptions and 1,606 receiving yards — also a Big Ten Conference record.

Both CBS Sports and Sports Illustrated have Smith-Njigba as a future Green Bay Packers receiver in the middle of the first round, while The Draft Network has him at No. 31 for the Kansas City Chiefs.

OT Dawand Jones

Dec 31, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes offensive lineman Dawand Jones (79) celebrates a touchdown by wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (18) during the first half of the Peach Bowl in the College Football Playoff semifinal at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Adam Cairns-The Columbus Dispatch
Dec 31, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes offensive lineman Dawand Jones (79) celebrates a touchdown by wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (18) during the first half of the Peach Bowl in the College Football Playoff semifinal at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Adam Cairns-The Columbus Dispatch

CBS Sports: N/A

Sports Illustrated: No. 16 Pittsburgh Steelers

The Draft Network: N/A

Heading into 2023, Ohio State offensive tackle Dawand Jones seems to be moving himself into the first round of the next NFL draft.

After being named as a first-team All-American by CBS Sports and a second-team All-American by the Associated Press and Sporting News, Jones, a 6-foot-8, 359-pound tackle, was selected on spot behind Johnson on Sports Illustrated's latest mock draft, crediting his size, length and mass that is "visible from the nosebleeds."

Jones was not on CBS Sports' latest mock draft.

Ohio State football schedule 2023

Here's what Ohio State's 2023 football schedule looks like.

  • Sept. 2: Ohio State vs. Indiana, Memorial Stadium, Bloomington, Indiana

  • Sept. 9: Ohio State vs. Youngstown State, Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio

  • Sept. 16: Ohio State vs. Western Kentucky, Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio

  • Sept. 23: Ohio State vs. Notre Dame, Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, Indiana

  • Oct. 7: Ohio State vs. Maryland, Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio

  • Oct. 14: Ohio State vs. Purdue, Ross-Ade Stadium, West Lafayette, Indiana

  • Oct. 21: Ohio State vs. Penn State, Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio

  • Oct. 28: Ohio State vs. Wisconsin, Camp Randall Stadium, Madison, Wisconsin

  • Nov. 4: Ohio State vs. Rutgers, SHI Stadium, Piscataway, New Jersey

  • Nov. 11: Ohio State vs. Michigan State, Spartan Stadium, East Lansing, Michigan

  • Nov. 18: Ohio State vs. Minnesota, Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio

  • Nov. 25: Ohio State vs. Michigan, Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, Michigan

Get more Ohio State football news by listening to our podcasts

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State football players appear in multiple 2023 NFL mock drafts