Since the Browns came back in 1999, 123 Ohio State players have been NFL draft picks. Here's a look a Denzel Ward-led batch of Buckeyes up for grabs, with some surpising facts about how the AFC North has treated the team from the Olentangy.
By now, everybody closely following the draft into Thursday knows Denzel Ward is one of the top dogs not in the quarterback kennel.
Analysts go back and forth as to whether Ward or Minkah Fitzpatrick is the best defensive back. Most suppose Ward is out of the Browns' consideration, certainly with their pick at No. 1 and probably even, albeit barely, barely, at No. 4.
Yet, many anticipate some sort of conspicuous surprise from the self-confident new general manager. And if John Dorsey sees value and wisdom in a trade out of 4, Ward could be in play.
Dorsey is a dealer. He pulled off a big trade just last year as Kansas City's GM, making a long move into the No. 10 spot to snare quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
For the sake of conversation, suppose one of the Browns' high picks via finagling with their picks at 1, 4, 33 and 35 (etc.) becomes Ward. He is an Ohio State Buckeye. For the Browns, drafting one of them would be a surprise.
Ohio State has much to do with NFL drafts and little to do with Ohio's NFL teams.
In the 19 selection meetings conducted since the Browns rejoined the NFL in 1999, 123 picks have been Buckeyes. That's a lot of draft picks from one school. USC, a major program that might supply the Browns with Sam Darnold at No. 1 on Thursday, has had 91 draft choices since '99.
Among Ohio State's 123, 30 have been first-round picks, including DBs Marshon Lattimore, Malik Hooker and Gareon Conley from last year's draft, Malcolm Jenkins of the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia, and rising stars Joey Bosa and Ezekiel Elliott.
Cleveland and Cincinnati have selected just two Buckeyes each since '99. Baltimore likewise has chosen only two Ohio Staters since leaving Cleveland after the 1995 campaign. "The Columbus team," in an AFC North draft context, has been Pittsburgh. Since 1999, the Steelers have picked more Buckeyes (eight) than Cleveland, Cincinnati and Baltimore combined.
Jimmy Haslam, who bought the Browns in 2012, arrived showing little regard for regional flavor in his work force. In 2013, Haslam said the fact Rob Chudzinski hailed from Toledo was not a factor in hiring him as head coach.
"It doesn't matter if he's from Plano, Texas, as long as he can do the job," Haslam said then.
Haslam has had six losing seasons during which to recalculate things that matter. In Dorsey, he hired an old-school general manager whose persona and background seem to fit a Midwest temperament.
Coincidentally (or not), one of Dorsey's first big moves was to sign free agent running back Carlos Hyde, who was a second-round pick out of Ohio State in 2014.
Dorsey isn't the type to assign undue style points to any draft prospect simply because he is from Ohio State.
"At the end of the day," he said in his last public remarks before Thursday's 8 p.m. draft launch, "we want good football players here, and we are going to get good football players here."
Yet, he seems the type to appreciate what an Ohio player with ability and respect for the region might add.
Gil Brandt, the dean of draft analysts, ranks these Ohio State players in his "Hot 150":
No. 9, Ward; No. 61, center Billy Price; No. 63, defensive end Sam Hubbard; No. 137, offensive lineman Jamarco Jones; No. 143, defensive lineman Jalyn Holmes. If you're mixing and matching these guys as possible Browns targets, not that Dorsey's stash includes picks at No. 64, 114 or 150.
The Browns' two expansion-era draft picks from the Buckeye pool made barely a ripple. They were tight end Darnell Sanders (No. 122, 2002) and wideout Brian Robiskie (No. 36, 2009). The two Baltimore Buckeyes were Reid Fragel (No. 240 overall, 2013) and Daniel "Boom" Herron (No. 191, 2012). Baltimore's duo was John Simon (No. 129, 2013) and Troy Smith (No. 174, 2007).
Dorsey's most important draft brush with a Buckeye came when he was a top personnel man in Green Bay scouts, and the Packers took Ohio State linebacker A.J. Hawk at No. 5 overall in 2006. Hawk never got to a Pro Bowl, but in his fifth season was an important part of the Packers' conquest of Pittsburgh in Super Bowl XLV.
The Buckeyes remain a big part of Browns history.
Starting with their entry into the NFL in 1950, they have drafted more Buckeyes (33) than players from any other school (USC, Michigan State an Baylor are next with 20 apiece, followed by Michigan with 18).
Buckeyes/Browns draft picks who started for Cleveland teams that won NFL championships include Paul Warfield, Jim Houston and Dick Schafrath. Ohio State's Bill Wilis, Dante Lavelli and Warfield are Pro Football Hall of Famers. Before he was the Browns' founding head coach, Paul Brown won a national title at Ohio State.
The address of the Browns' complex from whence Dorsey will work this week is 76 Lou Groza Blvd. Before "Lou The Toe" left to do his duty in World War II, he was a Buckeye.
Reach Steve at 330-580-8347 or steve.doerschuk@cantonrep.com
On Twitter: @sdoerschukREP