Top Patriots draft fits from Ohio State-Notre Dame national title game originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
An exciting college football season will end Monday when Ohio State and Notre Dame compete in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game in Atlanta.
Both of these teams have lots of NFL-caliber talent, and these players’ draft stock likely will be impacted by their performance in this matchup.
A lot of players from this game will be playing on Sunday next season, and many of them are projected to be first- or second-round picks in the 2025 NFL Draft in April.
The New England Patriots would be wise to do their due diligence on these players, especially given the impressive track record of Buckeyes and Fighting Irish players in the pros.
Which players in the title game could be good draft fits for the Patriots? Let’s look at a list of intriguing prospects (including a few injured players who won’t play Monday) from Ohio State and Notre Dame.
Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State
Freshman sensation Jeremiah Smith gets most of the headlines in Columbus, and rightly so, but he’s not the only talented wideout on the Buckeyes roster. Egbuka is a first-round talent and has tallied 75 receptions for 947 yards and 10 touchdowns so far this season. Egbuka is a fluid route runner with great hands and enough strength to create seperation.
Josh Simmons, LT, Ohio State
Note: Simmons will not play Monday due to injury, but as a potential top 10 pick, he’s worth mentioning.
Simmons could have potentially been the top-ranked offensive tackle in the 2025 class but he suffered a season-ending knee injury in October. If teams are comfortable with his rehab and medical situation, he would be worth the risk in the No. 8 to No. 15 range. The Patriots shouldn’t take Simmons at No. 4, but if they traded down in the top 15, it would be wise to consider him.
Donovan Jackson, Guard, Ohio State
Jackson was a very good left guard but was forced to move to left tackle after Simmons’ injury in October. He’s done a solid job in that tackle spot since, particularly in the Buckeyes’ three playoff games.
Ohio State LT Donovan Jackson (📈) continues to be the unsung MVP for this team. Zero pressures allowed vs. UT.
In 3 Playoff Games (175 snaps vs. 3 very good DLs)Pressures: 1Sacks: 0Penalties: 0 pic.twitter.com/5yw62gAvKg
— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) January 11, 2025
Jack Sawyer, LB, Ohio State
Sawyer is the heartbeat of the Buckeyes defense. He plays with tremendous energy and tackles well. He’s probably a Day 2 pick, potentially in the early or mid-third round. The Patriots need more depth at linebacker, and Sawyer would be a solid addition.
Lathan Ransom, S, Ohio State
Ransom plays with an edge and delivers a lot of hard hits. He plays with the kind of swagger all teams need in the secondary. Ransom has tallied 72 tackles, three forced fumbles, two pass breakups, one interception and one sack this season, earning him first team All-Big 10 honors at defensive back.
JT Tuimolau, Edge, Ohio State
The Patriots need an elite pass rusher. They tallied a league-low 28 sacks this past season. The departures of Matthew Judon and Josh Uche had a real impact in that area. If they could get Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter at No. 4, that would be ideal. But if not, Tuimolau — who led Ohio State with 11.5 sacks this season — would be a good Day 2 option at an important position.
Xavier Watts, S, Notre Dame
Watts has been a playmaker in the Fighting Irish secondary this season with eight pass breakups, six interceptions and 75 tackles. He has intercepted 13 passes over the last two seasons. Watts probably will be a high second-round pick.
Benjamin Morrison, CB, Notre Dame
Note: Morrison is injured and won’t play in Monday’s national title game, but as one of the top defensive players in the 2025 class (if he declares for the draft), it’s important to mention him anyway.
Morrison is the No. 2 cornerback in this class behind Michigan’s Will Johnson. The Fighting Irish star should be a Day 1 starter in the NFL with his excellent coverage skills. The Patriots have an All-Pro cornerback in Christian Gonzalez, but they still need a reliable outside corner opposite of him. If the Patriots were to trade down in the top 15, Morrison would be a great player to consider taking.