NFL draft results 2017: Raekwon McMillan taken by Dolphins with pick No. 54

Former standout Ohio State linebacker Raekwon McMillan was drafted at No. 54 overall in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Dolphins.

How did McMillan do at the combine?

The Liberty County, GA product had himself a pretty solid combine performance, shining in the 40-yard dash. His 4.61 in that category made him the third-fastest of all linebackers at the event. Otherwise, he put up 23 reps on the bench and recorded a 33-inch vertical leap. He even showed a little flash in coverage:

At 6’2, 240 lbs, McMillan isn’t huge, but his size and strength were never his biggest assets. If he sticks around in the NFL, it’ll be because of his exceptional football IQ and nose for the ball. (His consistently perfect form tackling won’t hurt, either.)

How good was McMillan in college?

You’d think that someone who came into college as a consensus 5-star recruit would have trouble living up to expectations, but that was never a problem for the Buckeye captain. After skirting the usual Urban Meyer hesitance to give true freshmen significant playing time, McMillan found himself splitting time with Curtis Grant at the Mike linebacker spot. He was an impact player on the National Championship team that year, and only got better when he moved into the starting role full time as a sophomore.

As a junior in 2016, he led the team in tackles (75.5) as the quarterback of the defense. He was one of the only Buckeye players who appeared to have shown up for their trouncing at the hands of Clemson on New Year’s Eve, recording 12 solo tackles and a sack on the heels of a 16-tackle performance against Michigan. The Buckeye defense was lights-out in 2016: opponents averaged fewer than 4.0 YPC, and the unit ranked 3rd in points allowed and 5th in S&P+.