48 Former Buckeyes on Opening Week NFL Rosters

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State football program will celebrate 48 former players, including at all nine offensive/defensive positions plus two specialists, on opening week National Football League rosters as the 2023 NFL season barrels into its first Sunday of games in two days. The campaign kicked off Thursday evening with the Detroit Lions defeating the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, 21-20, at Arrowhead Stadium.

Leading the position groups of Buckeyes are 11 defensive linemen, including the longest tenured Buckeye in the NFL, Cam Heyward, who is in his 13th season with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Nine defensive backs, including five first-round NFL Draft picks, rank second among the position groups with offensive line and wide receiver tied for third with eight former Buckeyes apiece. All nine position groups – cornerbacks and safeties are combined under defensive backs – have at least two former Buckeyes represented.

Six former Buckeyes are team captains: Justin Fields (Chicago), Jordan Fuller (Los Angeles Rams), Cam Heyward (Pittsburgh), Sam Hubbard (Cincinnati), Terry McLaurin (Washington) and C.J. Stroud (Houston). Heyward is a nine-time captain while McLaurin is a four-time captain and Fields and Hubbard are each two-time honorees.

Buckeyes in the NFL

By Team

Atlanta Falcons

DE Zach Harrison

LS Liam McCullough

CB Jeff Okudah

Baltimore Ravens

RB J.K. Dobbins

LB Malik Harrison

 

Carolina Panthers

SAF Vonn Bell

 

Chicago Bears

QB Justin Fields (Captain)

Cincinnati Bengals

DE Sam Hubbard (Captain)

Cleveland Browns

SAF Ronnie Hickman (Rookie)

OT Dawand Jones (R)

CB Denzel Ward

C Luke Wypler (R)

 

Dallas Cowboys

DT Johnathan Hankins

SAF Malik Hooker

Denver Broncos

OLB Jonathan Cooper

Detroit Lions

OT Taylor Decker

OG Jonah Jackson

Green Bay Packers

C Josh Myers

Houston Texans

WR Noah Brown

P Cameron Johnston

QB C.J. Stroud (R; Captain)

 

Indianapolis Colts

DE Tyquan Lewis

Jacksonville Jaguars

TE Luke Farrell

DT DaVon Hamilton

Los Angeles Chargers

DE Joey Bosa

C Corey Linsley

Los Angeles Rams

SAF Jordan Fuller (Captain)

Miami Dolphins

CB Eli Apple

LB Jerome Baker

New England Patriots

RB Ezekiel Elliott

CB Shaun Wade

OT Thayer Munford

New Orleans Saints

CB Marshon Lattimore

WR Chris Olave

WR Michael Thomas

LB Pete Werner

New York Giants

WR Parris Campbell

 

New York Jets

TE Jeremy Ruckert

WR Garrett Wilson

 

Phoenix Cardinals

OT Paris Johnson Jr. (R)

Pittsburgh Steelers

DT Cam Heyward (Captain)

Seattle Seahawks

DT Dre’Mont Jones

OLB Tyreke Smith

WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba (R)

San Francisco 49ers

DE Nick Bosa

 

Washington Commanders

WR Terry McLaurin (Captain)

WR Curtis Samuel

DE Chase Young

Buckeyes in the NFL

By Position

 

Defensive Line (11)

Zach Harrison, Atlanta

Sam Hubbard, Cincinnati

Johnathan Hankins, Dallas

Tyquan Lewis, Indianapolis

DaVon Hamilton, Jacksonville

Joey Bosa, Los Angeles Chargers

Cam Heyward, Pittsburgh

Nick Bosa, San Francisco

Dre’Mont Jones, Seattle

Tyreke Smith, Seattle

Chase Young, Washington

Linebacker (4)

Malik Harrison, Baltimore

Jonathan Cooper, Denver

Jerome Baker, Miami

Pete Werner, New Orleans

 

Defensive Backs (9) 

Jeff Okudah, Atlanta

Vonn Bell, Carolina

Ronnie Hickman, Cleveland

Denzel Ward, Cleveland

Malik Hooker, Dallas

Jordan Fuller, Los Angeles Rams

Eli Apple, Miami

Shaun Wade, New England

Marshan Lattimore, New Orleans

Quarterback (2)

Justin Fields, Chicago

C.J. Stroud, Houston

Running Back (2)

J.K. Dobbins, Baltimore

Ezekiel Elliott, New England

Offensive Line (8)

Dawand Jones, Cleveland

Luke Wypler, Cleveland

Taylor Decker, Detroit

Jonah Jackson, Detroit

Josh Myers, Green Bay

Corey Linsley, Los Angeles Chargers

Thayer Munford, New England

Parris Johnson Jr., Phoenix

Wide Receivers (8)

Noah Brown, Houston

Chris Olave, New Orleans

Michael Thomas, New Orleans

Parris Campbell, New York Giants

Garrett Wilson, New York Jets

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle

Terry McLaurin, Washington

Curtis Samuel, Washington

Tight End (2)

Luke Farrell, Jacksonville

Jeremy Ruckert, New York Jets

Specialists (2)

LS Liam McCullough, Atlanta

P Cameron Johnston, Houston

Ohio State Football Official Press Release