Do the Dirty Work: Ryan Day Faces Fan Fury After Controversial Draft Remark
The Ohio State Buckeyes could not defend their National Championship title in 2025. Moving into 2026, their head coach, Ryan Day, just made the recruiting standards a lot stricter. In the process, he caught heat from the fans.
“Just across the board at Ohio State, there’s an expectation that when you come here, you are coming to be a first or second rounder, regardless of your position. If we don’t win games and championships, they’re gonna find a new coach,” said Day, highlighting the uncompromising standard in Columbus. “Well, if you’re not a first or second rounder, then this probably isn’t the right place for you.”
At a place where even Day's job is not secure without victories and championships, the result-driven culture is applicable to the players, too. Day did not sugarcoat the pressure or pretend the program is anything less than demanding.
After all, Ohio State has significantly contributed to the sport of football with over 500 total picks. The Buckeyes hold the record for the most first-round draft picks in the NFL at 95. In last year’s NFL draft, Ohio State tied its own school record of 14 players being selected in 2004.
While primarily, a lot of players from Ohio State do get selected in the first and second rounds, the school also has players who go from the third to the eighth rounds in the NFL draft.
“D*** coach, that some tough a** standards lol but shoutout to all us 3rd-8th round Buckeyes that made far in the league though. I’m proud of us lol,” wrote Dre’Mont Jones on X, resharing Day's interview.
The former Buckeyes defensive lineman was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the third round as their 71st overall pick.
For many fans, Day is setting an extremely high bar to live up to for any player who comes into the Buckeyes program. They shared their views on X.
How Are Fans Reacting to the News?
Not every role is glamorous, but every role is essential. "You have to have some that will do the dirty work. A team of all Aces isn’t great in reality," a fan said. For instance, Terry McLaurin was not necessarily a star in college but was selected in the third round. He played all across the board. Special teams, defense, and offense, all for the Washington Commanders.
Another fan came up with a strong argument. “Everybody on that D*** team is not going to be a first or second rounder. Because everybody on the team is not going to get a chance to play. You can only put 11 players out there at the time, and even in rotation, there are players that are going to get more time to shine,” he wrote.
Though the college roster sits at 105 spots, 11 players play at a time, depending on offense or defense. To have 105 first and second rounders is an impossible task.
Day was reminded of a fact by a fan. “Your starting QB when you won the Natty was drafted in the 6th round, man,” the comment read. This fan refers to Will Howard, who is on the Pittsburgh Steelers and was the 185th pick in the 2025 NFL draft.
A fan sprinkled salt on Day's wounds. “Buddy lost with CJ Stroud, TreVeyon Henderson, Garrett Wilson, and Chris Olave," he questioned Day’s ability to win even with these weapons. All the mentioned players were top-15 picks except Henderson, who was a second-rounder.
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