Since the end of the football season, draft analysts have listed two members of the Buckeye secondary, defensive back Marshon Lattimore and safety Malik Hooker, as projected first round picks. In fact both have been consistently in the top 10 of most mock drafts. That remained the same when ESPN's Todd McShay released his "Mock Draft 3.0" on Wednesday--his first mock draft since the NFL combine. What changed, however was the status of another Buckeye DB Gareon Conley. After an impressive performance at the combine, McShay, for the first time, lists Conley as a first round pick.
McShay now has Conley going number 29 in the first round to Green Bay. The reviews from Conley, after the combine, were flattering. He ran a solid 4.44 in the 40, and reportedly was a star in the other DB drill work.
As for Lattimore and Hooker, their status as top 10 picks remained unchanged. McShay has Lattimore going sixth overall to the New York Jets, just one pick ahead of Hooker, who McShay predicts will go seventh to the L.A. Chargers. If that happened, both players would join former Buckeye teammates. The Jets took linebacker Darron Lee 20th overall last year. The Chargers grabbed defensive end Joey Bosa with the third pick in 2016 and also took linebacker Josh Perry in the fourth round.