When Matt Patricia arrived at Ohio State in February 2025, the defense had one player widely projected as a first-round pick in the following year's NFL Draft: safety Caleb Downs.

One year later, the Buckeyes have four.

Mel Kiper Jr.'s latest mock draft projects Downs, linebacker Arvell Reese, linebacker Sonny Styles, and defensive tackle Kayden McDonald all in the top seven picks. That's unprecedented for a single school in Kiper's mock draft history. And three of those four players weren't on anyone's first-round radar before Matt Patricia got his hands on them.

The Development Story

Reese is perhaps the most dramatic example. Entering 2025, he was a junior who had seen playing time as the third linebacker but was nowhere near most first-round conversations. Under Patricia's coaching, Reese emerged as a hybrid off-ball linebacker and edge rusher who earned consensus All-American honors and was named the Big Ten's Linebacker of the Year. He finished with 69 tackles and 6.5 sacks while anchoring the nation's top-ranked defense.

At the Combine, Reese credited Matt Patricia directly for unlocking his potential.

"I think he's a huge reason why I played the way I play," Reese said. "Just gained a bunch of knowledge from him."

Reese also revealed that Patricia compared him to former Patriots linebacker Jamie Collins and had them study Collins' film together. That direct connection between NFL tape and college development is a perfect example of how Patricia used his professional experience to elevate a college player's game.

Styles' trajectory was different but equally impressive. He entered 2025 as a projected first-round talent, but the position he'd be drafted at was uncertain. Patricia solidified Styles at linebacker after he'd started his career as a safety, and the move paid off with a First-Team All-American season that included 82 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, and an interception.

McDonald rounded out the group. The defensive tackle had limited starting experience entering 2025, which created questions about his film portfolio. Patricia's system put McDonald in a position to dominate as a run-stuffing interior presence, and his production (67 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 2 forced fumbles) turned those questions into first-round projections.

The Common Thread

What connects all three players' development arcs is Matt Patricia's core philosophy as a coordinator.

"My whole goal is to see what you do well," Patricia has said. "How do I put you in a position to get on the field and do that job well and to the best of your ability?"

For Reese, that meant deploying him as a versatile defender who could rush the passer and drop into coverage. For Styles, it meant committing to the linebacker position and building the scheme around his unique combination of size and athleticism. For McDonald, it meant giving him a defined role that highlighted his strength and explosiveness inside.

Patricia didn't ask these players to fit his system. He built the system around what they did best. That's the difference between a coordinator who runs a scheme and a coordinator who develops players.

What It Means for the Program

The impact extends beyond these individual players. When NFL draft analysts see four potential first-rounders from a single defensive unit, and three of them made that leap under one coordinator's coaching, it sends a message to every recruit considering Ohio State.

At the Combine, Caleb Downs put it in terms that future Buckeyes will understand.

"I feel like Coach Patricia did a lot of great things in terms of my mind processing how to take certain players away and how to negate certain abilities that the offense may have," Downs said. "That's something Ohio State brings."

Matt Patricia's ability to elevate draft stock isn't just good for the players leaving Columbus. It's a recruiting tool for every defensive prospect thinking about where to spend their college career. The proof is sitting in Indianapolis, measuring in at the Combine, and preparing to hear their names called in the first round.

Four top-seven picks. Three of them developed under Matt Patricia in a single season. That's the story of year one.