BEREA, Ohio _ Denzel Ward received the early birthday gift he hoped for when he became a first-round pick in the NFL Draft on Thursday night. He went to his hometown Browns, too.
A cornerback from Ohio State, Ward was picked fourth overall by the Browns two days before he'll turn 21 and about a half-hour after Cleveland took Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield at No. 1.
The New York Giants picked Penn State running back Saquon Barkley at No. 2 overall, and the New York Jets chose Southern California quarterback Sam Darnold at No. 3. The Browns had explored trading down from No. 4 but ultimately stayed and scooped up Ward with North Carolina State defensive end Bradley Chubb and Alabama defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick available, too.
The Browns need help at cornerback and were enticed by Ward's speed. Last month, he tied with two other players for the best time in the 40-yard dash (4.32 seconds) at the NFL scouting combine.
Ward became the first player from Nordonia High School to be drafted in the first round. In 2006, the Seattle Seahawks picked Nordonia graduate Rob Sims, an offensive lineman from Ohio State, in the fourth round.
Ohio State is now the first program since the common draft era began in 1967 to have five defensive backs selected in the opening round during a three-year span.
The ex-Buckeyes on the list are Ward and fellow cornerbacks Marshon Lattimore (No. 11 overall in 2017, New Orleans Saints), Gareon Conley (No. 24 in 2017, Oakland Raiders) and Eli Apple (No. 10 in 2016, New York Giants) and free safety Malik Hooker (No. 15 in 2017, Indianapolis Colts).
"I wanted to be that next guy to come out of Ohio State in the cornerback room and be a first-round draft pick," Ward told the Beacon Journal/Ohio.com last week during a phone interview. "So I'm trying to follow those guys' footsteps.
"I'm very confident in who I am as a player and my abilities. I've just got to make sure I go into the next level focused and ready to get to work."
Ward, 5-foot-10~ and 183 pounds, became a full-time starter for the Buckeyes last season as a junior and compiled 37 tackles and 17 pass breakups, including two interceptions, earning consensus All-America and first-team all-Big Ten honors.
