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Check out the most human moments of each of Ohio State’s 10 individual draft weekends

If you don’t tear up at least once watching this videos, you have no heart and aren’t a real Buckeye fan!

By Matt Tamanini

Now that the hubbub has died down a little bit following the 2021 NFL Draft, it’s given us a little bit of time to appreciate how incredible it is that for the second year in a row, 10 Ohio State Buckeyes heard their names called by NFL teams and can now say that they are officially NFL Draft picks.

And while there is plenty of time for folks here at LGHL and across the OSU blogosphere to break down how each player will fit in their new home and what Buckeyes could be selected in the 2022 draft, I think it’s important to remember that the moments when these young men got the calls from their respective teams was the culmination of years of hard work, sacrifice, and dreaming.

So, before we put our analyst hats back on, let’s take a minute to appreciate some of the more human moments from the NFL Draft weekend for each of the 10 Buckeyes selected.

No. 11 Justin Fields | Chicago Bears

Fields is almost never not stoic, composed, and in control, and when he received the call that he would be the Bears’ first round pick, that did not change. However, in the series of photos below, you can see a slightly less guarded version of Fields as he celebrates with his family and — heaven forbid — actually cracks a big old, toothy smile.

No. 60: Pete Werner | New Orleans Saints

Ohio State fans have had a complicated relationship with Pete Werner over the past few seasons, but no doubt that he has more than proven his worth, both to Buckeye Nation and the NFL scouts as he was selected by the New Orleans Saints in the second round; a team that is making it a tradition to draft and sign Buckeyes as frequently as possible.

Pete seems a little bit shellshocked when his name is called as he celebrates with friends and family in a house that looks like it is straight out of an HGTV home-reno show.

On hand to witness Werner’s life-changing event is Pete’s former teammate and roommate, future 2022 NFL Draft pick, Haskell Garrett.

No. 62: Josh Myers | Green Bay Packers

We didn’t have to wait too long to hear another Buckeyes’ name called as just two picks after Werner was selected, the Packers drafted yet another Ohio State offensive lineman in Josh Myers. In the offseason, long-time Packer center Corey Linsley signed a free agent contract with the Los Angeles Chargers.

So, the Pack figured if you’re going to lose one Buckeye center, you might as well replace him with another. Here’s hoping that Myers can follow in Linsley’s All-Pro shoes. Josh checked in with his new team and their fans over the weekend to let them know how excited he is to be coming to Titletown U.S.A.

No. 86: Wyatt Davis | Minnesota Vikings

Wyatt Davis became the second OSU offensive lineman selected in the draft, and the first of three Buckeyes taken in the third round. Wyatt’s smile in the last picture says it all, and as he said in his tweet, Buckeye fans know that no one is going to out work Davis.

No. 88: Trey Sermon | San Francisco 49ers

If I could bottle the excitement and joy in that room when Trey Sermon’s name was called, I would be able to cure all the world’s ills, achieve world peace, and maybe even grow some hair on the top of my head for the first time in about a decade and a half.

The happiness that Sermon’s family showed in that clip is only eclipsed by his reaction to finally hearing his name called. Sermon’s been through a lot in the past year, between transferring, struggling at the start of his OSU career, all of the COVID restrictions, becoming an absolute record-setting beast for the Buckeyes, and then getting injured in his first play in the title game.

Trey absolutely deserved to celebrate this moment and to appreciate all that he’s been through. Also, the Niners had the absolute best draftee related tweet of the weekend.

No. 105: Baron Browning | Denver Broncos

Baron Browning is another guy that you can’t help but be happy for. With all of the trials and tribulations that he’s suffered in his career, to hear the giddiness and excitement in his voice literally brings tears to your eyes... and if it doesn’t, you need to get in touch with your feelings. There’s no shame in it.

Congrats, Baron. I’m rooting hard for you.

No. 132: Tommy Togiai | Cleveland Browns

Tommy Togiai is one of the guys that I think is an absolute steal in the draft after falling into the fourth round. But, he will be playing for a team that clearly kept an eye on him from a relatively short distance.

Togiai will be coming back to play in Ohio yet again as he was drafted by the Cleveland Browns, and as head coach Kevin Stefanski tells him right after selecting him (when he can get a word in over the celebrating Togiai family), Tommy fits in really well with what the Browns do, and has a chance to be a difference maker on that d-line.

No. 145: Luke Farrell | Jacksonville Jaguars

Luke Farrell joins what I imagine has to be a really select group of players who were drafted into the NFL by the same coach that they signed to play for in college. That bond and familiarity was obviously important in bringing him to Jacksonville.

It was very cool to hear Urban Meyer talk to Luke and his parents, and even after being apart for a few years, they are able to pick up the relationship that started all the way back when Farrell was back in high school. This one gets you in all the feels.

No. 160: Shaun Wade | Baltimore Ravens

Look, I get it. Draft weekend was probably a bit bittersweet for Shaun Wade, given the difference in his status now and what it could have been a year ago. However, he’s not letting that get in the way of his Madden time. And, since he lost quite a bit of money falling to the fifth round, he’s gotta make up for some of that by being a sponsored #EAathlete. Good for you, Shaun. Go kick some ass on Madden and in Baltimore.

No. 239: Jonathon Cooper | Denver Broncos

In my opinion, the Broncos got two absolute steals in Browning and Jonathon Cooper. They are both incredibly tough and talented players who have fought through so much and proven to be incredible human beings in addition to special football players.

That was never more evident than when the kids in Cooper’s neighborhood came out to celebrate after his name was finally called. There’s a reason that he was the first recipient of the Buckeyes’ Block O jersey. Jonathon Cooper is one special dude, and Denver’s about to find that out.

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