Washington gleefully selected Ohio State’s Dwayne Haskins in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft. Haskins had a rough rookie season as did the team. Different schools are known for producing pro players at certain positions. For the longest time, Penn State was Linebacker U. No one, however, would consider Ohio State as QB U.
1940-60
Grouping these times together for the sake of efficiency. Don Scott was drafted ninth overall by the Bears in 1941. He opted for a military career. On October 1, 1943, Scott died when his B-26 Marauder bomber crashed in England while he was in training. He was buried in Canton, OH. The following month, Ohio State University trustees named the school’s new airport after him. The Cleveland Rams selected Jack Graf, who backed up Scott for two years, in the 1942 NFL Draft, but he attended Harvard Business School. In 1955, two Buckeye QBs were drafted. Dave Leggett was chosen in the seventh round by the Chicago Cardinals. Leggett played briefly for the Cardinals, throwing one incomplete pass, before getting called into the military. He spent two years in the Air Force and then played football in the Canadian Football League. John Borton went in the 13th round to the Browns. He played one year, throwing six passes, completing three for 22 yards. The New York Giants drafted Frank Kremblas in the 23rd round in 1959. He never played in the NFL, despite being part of the 1957 Ohio State championship team.
1970s
Rex Kern was a 10th round pick of the Baltimore Colts in 1971. He spent two seasons with them and one with the Buffalo Bills. Despite being a QB in college, Kern wound up as a DB in the NFL. He made 15 starts in the NFL and had two interceptions. Ron Maciejowski was Kern’s backup as a Buckeye. He was chosen in the 15th round by the Bears and did not have an NFL career. Greg Hare was selected by the Buffalo Bills in 1974 in the eighth round. A 2017 story actually ledes with “Greg Hare may have been the best quarterback to never throw a pass in the NFL.” “The Dallas Cowboys were talking about drafting me in the eighth round,“ recalls the Ohio State graduate. “They were going to pay me $10,000 to go to Japan and throw passes to Olympic champion Bob Hayes in exhibitions. I was on cloud nine.” Then came a cloudburst. Hare was taken in the eighth round of the 1974 draft by the Buffalo Bills and they told him he couldn’t take the Japan trip that the Cowboys were still offering. Hare spent some time in the CFL. Cornelius Greene did get drafted by the Cowboys in the 11th round in 1976. He busted as a WR,
Art Schilichter
Once considered a local hero, Art Schlichter turned into one of the biggest busts and was busted numerous times for gambling and other issues after his NFL career. He was winless in six starts for the Baltimore and Indianapolis Colts. Schlichter was so bad and unreliable, the Colts actually drafted John Elway first overall a year after drafting the Buckeye fourth. Schlichter made six starts, all losses. At last report, he was incarcerated in South Carolina, looking at a release date in 2020.
Tom Tupa
Tom Tupa had a successful NFL career … as a punter. He did start 13 games as a QB, going 4-9. However, his leg and not his arm kept him around from 1988-2004. Tupa was drafted in the third round by the Cardinals and played for six teams, punting 873 times.
Kent Graham
The New York Giants selected Kent Graham in the eighth round in 1992. He played for five teams until 2001. Graham made 38 starts, threw 39 TD passes and 33 picks. His best run was 1998 when he went 5-1 in a second run as a Giant.
Bobby Hoying
Bobby Hoying came out of Columbus to the Eagles in the third round in 1996. He spent five years in the league with Philadelphia and Oakland and went 3-9-1 as a starter. Hoying threw 11 TD passes, all in 1997 for Philly.
Joe Germaine
The Rams drafted Joe Germaine in the fourth round in 1999. He spent that year as a member of the team, throwing 16 passes with nine completions. Germaine did earn a Super Bowl ring as part of the Rams team. However, Kurt Warner was the QB and that left no room for anyone else. He did throw for 5,005 yards for the Utah Blaze of the Arena Football League in 2007.
Steve Bellisari
Steve Bellisari was also drafted by the Rams. He was chosen in the sixth round in 2002. He, too, like Germaine went on to an indoor football career.
Craig Krenzel
The Bears drafted Craig Krenzel in 2004 in the fifth round. Krenzel won three of his five starts in Chicago. The Bears cut him after the 2004 season, and he never played in the NFL again.
Troy Smith
Troy Smith won the Heisman Trophy in 2006. He was a fifth-round choice of the Ravens in 2007 and fizzled. He was 4-4 in eight starts with the Ravens and Niners and was out of the NFL after 2010.
Terrelle Pryor
Terrelle Pryor was a supplemental choice in 2011 after all sorts of issues around Ohio State. He was 3-7 as a starter for the Oakland Raiders. Pryor was then moved to wide receiver when a Cleveland Brown. He did have a 1,000-yard season in 2016. Once a heralded prospect, Pryor has become a journeyman. He is currently a free agent after spending time with six teams.
Braxton Miller
Braxton Miller was one of two QBs drafted from Ohio State in 2016. He went to the Houston Texans in the third round. He moved to wide receiver because of a shoulder injury late in his college career. Miller made 34 catches in two seasons with the Texans. He has been an Eagle and is currently a free agent.
Cardale Jones
Cardale Jones was drafted in the fourth round by the Buffalo Bills in 2016. He played one game, throwing 11 passes. He was allocated to the DC Defenders of the XFL, had a fast start and stumbled recently.
Dwayne Haskins
Despite being the 15th overall selection in 2019, Haskins was beaten out by Case Keenum for the starting job in Washington. The former Buckeye had a rough rookie season, throwing seven TD passes and seven picks while going 2-5 in seven starts. Washington has to hope he is more successful than previous Buckeye QBs in the NFL
