Look, the Ohio State Buckeyes are favored by almost 50 points against Akron, so the 2025 NFL Draft prospects in this game on the home sideline don't have a ton to gain from this single matchup. However, every evaluator has to consider usage and role changes that we see in a new season.
Here are three Ohio State 2025 NFL Draft prospects to watch in the Week 1 opener against Akron and what they can show in one half of football.
Ohio State NFL Draft Prospects to Watch in Week 1
We're looking at two possible first-round picks and a third individual who could land on Day 2.
Jack Sawyer, EDGE
Expectations are high for the Ohio State defense this fall. Almost the entire cast of last year's unit is back, and another year of seasoning and conditioning is a scary proposition for opponents. Make no mistake that we should see this unit be the top or second-best defense in the nation.
At the heart of the defense will be the pass rush. Jack Sawyer became the primary pass-rush star last year over teammate J.T. Tuimoloau, hitting a hot streak in the second half of the season that redefined his personal ceiling. Now, Sawyer's task is to maximize a highly athletic and gifted frame that projects as an NFL starter in the near future.
Sawyer's consistency must improve. His run defense and strength at the point of attack is fantastic, but his array of pass-rush moves and leverage could be better. It's a fine line between staying disciplined and letting loose to wreck an offense, and I'm hoping Larry Johnson and Jim Knowles let Sawyer collapse the pocket more than make run reads as often as he did in 2023.
TreVeyon Henderson, RB
It'd be shocking to see either Quinshon Judkins or TreVeyon Henderson log more than 15 carries this week. Honestly, 10 should be more than enough. But Henderson has a ton to prove this year as he enters an uncertain role on a loaded offense.
Henderson is the most explosive back in the country when it comes to pure speed. His blend of size and speed makes him terrifying, and hopefully, the addition of Chip Kelly means we'll see fewer strong-side stretch runs that fail to give him a runway. If Kelly can give Henderson better run concepts, he could take over as the starter or closer to an RB1A option within the offense over Judkins.
Of course, NFL evaluators want to see consistent decision-making, vision, and durability from Henderson. He's a top-notch athlete, so his ability to win the nuance of the game will make a big difference in his NFL projection.
Emeka Egbuka, WR
Like Henderson, I doubt we will see Emeka Egbuka for long as the margin swells closer to the second half. Ryan Day has already said to expect to see a rotation at the receiver position this week, so Egbuka might get force-fed a bit before hitting the sideline.
This could be a good chance for Chip Kelly to do something fun with Egbuka, though. Springing Egbuka into open space on a jet sweep or designed deep crosser would be a nice throwback to when Kelly ran roughshod on the Pac 12 with players built like Egbuka.
You can tell Kelly's eyes get big when talking about Egbuka, and the NFL will like to see what versatility he can bring to the table.
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