- Troy Smith
Troy Smith (born July 20, 1984 in Cleveland, Ohio) is a former starting quarterback for The Ohio State University football team from 2004-2006, and the winner of the 2006 Heisman Trophy. He was selected with the 174th overall selection in the 5th round of the 2007 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens. Smith graduated from Glenville High School in Cleveland, Ohio where he was coached by Ted Ginn Sr., father of his Ohio State and high school teammate Ted Ginn Jr.
- Ted Ginn Jr.
Theodore "Ted" Ginn, Jr. (born April 12, 1985 in Cleveland, Ohio) is an American football wide receiver who currently plays for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Dolphins in the first round (ninth overall) of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played collegiately at Ohio State.
- Archie Griffin
Archie Mason Griffin (born August 21, 1954) is a former American football running back and college football's only two-time Heisman trophy winner. Griffin won four Big Ten Conference titles with the Ohio State Buckeyes and is the only player ever to start in four Rose Bowls.
- Anthony Gonzalez
Anthony Gonzalez (b. September 18, 1984) for Ohio State University and was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts, in the 2007 NFL Draft. Gonzalez was born in Avon Lake, Ohio and graduated from Saint Ignatius High School. Gonzalez is a receiver who teamed with Santonio Holmes and Ted Ginn, Jr. in 2005 to give the Buckeyes three big-play receivers on what was one of the most explosive offenses in the country.
- Donte Whitner
Donte Whitner (born July 24, 1985) is an American Football safety for the Buffalo Bills. Whitner was drafted with the 8th overall pick by Buffalo in the 2006 NFL Draft. Whitner played his college football at Ohio State.
- Eddie George
Edward Nathan George, Jr. (born September 24, 1973 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is a former American football running back of the NFL. He played for the Tennessee Titans both in Tennessee and in Houston when the franchise was known as the Houston Oilers, and spent his final season with the Dallas Cowboys. He is best known for his career with Tennessee Titans.
- Nick Mangold
Nick Mangold (born January 13, 1984 in Centerville, Ohio) is an American football center with the New York Jets, drafted 29th overall in the 2006 NFL Draft from Ohio State. Mangold was considered to be the best prospect at center in the last 15 years according to NFL draft expert Mike Mayock.
- A. J. Hawk
Aaron James Hawk (born January 6, 1984 in Centerville, Ohio) is an American football linebacker for the Green Bay Packers of the NFL. A two-time All-American in college, he played for Ohio State University. He is 6'1" and 247 pounds (1.85 m, 112 kg), ran the 40 in 4.42 seconds at his Pro Day, 395 pound bench press, and has a 37 inch (94 cm) vertical leap.
- Lecharles Bentley
LeCharles Vernon Bentley (born November 7, 1979 in Cleveland, Ohio) is a National Football League center for the Cleveland Browns. He played high school football at St. Ignatius High School in Cleveland and went on to play college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes under head coach John Cooper. Bentley won the 2001 Rimington Trophy as college football's best center.
- Kirk Herbstreit
Kirk Herbstreit (born August 19, 1969, Centerville, Ohio) is an analyst for ESPN's "College GameDay", a television program covering college football and a provider of color commentary during college football games on ESPN and ABC. He appears annually as a commentator in EA Sports' NCAA Football.
- Robert Smith
Robert Scott Smith (born March 4, 1972 in Euclid, Ohio) is a former American football running back who played with the Ohio State Buckeyes and later with the Minnesota Vikings of the NFL. He was known for his academic hobbies including astronomy and medicine. He also starred in Track and Field while at Ohio State. Smith is the only player to ever win Ohio's Mr. Football Award twice (in 1988 and 1989).
- Glen Mason
Glen O. Mason (born April 9, 1950 in Colonia, New Jersey) is the former college football head coach of the University of Minnesota. He was officially fired on December 31, 2006. Prior to coaching the Gophers, Mason was head coach for Kent State University 1986-87 and the University of Kansas from 1988 to 1996, with previous assistant stints at the University of Illinois, Ohio State, Ball State, Iowa State, and Allegheny College.
- Vic Janowicz
Victor Felix "Vic" Janowicz (February 26, 1930 - February 27, 1996) was an American football player who played halfback for Ohio State University. A tailback in the single wing, he won the Heisman Trophy in 1950 as a junior. Woody Hayes, who coached Janowicz's senior year, said of him, "He was not only a great runner, but also passed, was a place kicker and punter, played safety on defense and was an outstanding blocker.
- Sid Gillman
Sidney "Sid" Gillman (October 26, 1911 - January 3, 2003) was an American football coach and innovator. Gillman's insistence on stretching the football field by throwing deep downfield passes, instead of short passes to running backs or wide receivers at the sides of the line of scrimmage, made football into the modern game that it is today.
- Orlando Pace
Orlando Lamar Pace (born November 4, 1975 in Sandusky, Ohio) is an American football player who currently plays offensive tackle for the St. Louis Rams of the NFL. He was the first overall pick in the 1997 NFL Draft and has been selected to the Pro Bowl seven times.
- Joe Germaine
Joe Berton Germaine (born August 11, 1975 in Denver, Colorado) is a professional American football quarterback, currently playing with Utah Blaze of the Arena Football League. Germaine played college football at Ohio State and had a brief stint in the NFL.
- Anthony Schlegel
Anthony Schlegel (born March 1, 1981) is a current American Football linebacker for the New York Jets. He is originally from Dallas, which is where he graduated from Highland Park High School. He was drafted in the third round of the 2006 NFL Draft. Schlegel played college football at the Ohio State University after transferring from the United States Air Force Academy. While at the Academy, Schlegel served as the team's co-captain, …
- Lou Groza
Louis Roy Groza (January 25, 1924 - November 29, 2000) was an American football placekicker who played his entire career for the Cleveland Browns. Born to Hungarian immigrants in Martins Ferry, Ohio, a decidedly athletic family, he was the smallest (at 6' 3") of three brothers. He played one season for The Ohio State University, where he was a member of Alpha Tau Omega, before being drafted into the Army.
- Rex Kern
Rex William Kern (born May 28, 1949, in Lancaster, Ohio) was an American football player. He played quarterback for the Ohio State Buckeyes from 1968 to 1970, and played professional football in the National Football League at defensive back for the Baltimore Colts and Buffalo Bills. On May 9, 2007, Kern was voted into the College Football Hall of Fame, with induction to take place in December 2007 and enshrinement in 2008.
- Mike Nugent
Mike "The Nuge" Nugent (born March 2, 1982 in Centerville, Ohio) is an American football placekicker for the New York Jets of the NFL. He was selected with the 15th pick of the second round of the 2005 NFL Draft out of the Ohio State University. Mike Nugent attended Centerville High School in Centerville, Ohio. As a senior kicker, he converted on 5 out of 7 field goal attempts from beyond 50 yards (24 of 27 altogether), kicked a 55 yard field goal (career long) twice, …
- Matt Wilhelm
Matt Wilhelm (born February 2, 1981 in Oberlin, Ohio) is an American football player who currently plays Inside Linebacker for the San Diego Chargers. He currently wears jersey #57 for the Chargers.
- Simon Fraser
Simon Fraser (born March 27, 1983 in Upper Arlington, Ohio) is an American football player who currently plays defensive end for the Cleveland Browns. At Ohio State University, Fraser was a three-time OSU Scholar-Athlete selection and a two-time Academic All-Big Ten Conference honoree, as well as a co-captain as a senior. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Browns on April 29, 2005.
- Wes Fesler
Wesley Eugene "Wes" Fesler was a three-sport athlete at the Ohio State University, including three consecutive years as a consensus first-team All-America selection in American football. He was later the football head coach at Wesleyan, Pittsburgh, Ohio State, and Minnesota, and the basketball head coach at Harvard and Princeton.
- Joey Galloway
Joey Galloway (born November 20, 1971 in Bellaire, Ohio) is an American football wide receiver for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the NFL. He was acquired in a trade with the Dallas Cowboys for receiver Keyshawn Johnson. He was originally selected with the eighth overall pick of the 1995 NFL Draft out of Ohio State University by the Seattle Seahawks.
- Pete Johnson
Pete Johnson (born in March 2, 1954 in Peach County, Georgia) is a former college and professional American football running back. He spent 8 seasons in the NFL, primarily with the Cincinnati Bengals. Before his NFL career, Johnson played for the Ohio State Buckeyes.
- Les Horvath
Les Horvath (born October 12, 1921; died November 14, 1995) was the 1944 Heisman Trophy winner, who played quarterback and halfback for Ohio State University. He was born in South Bend, Indiana and raised in the Cleveland, Ohio area. Horvath played for the Buckeyes in 1940, 1941, 1942 and 1944. He had already graduated with a bachelor's degree after the 1942 season.
- Justin Zwick
Justin Zwick (born May 12, 1983) was a collegiate football player who played quarterback for the Ohio State Buckeyes from 2002-2006.
- Santonio Holmes
Santonio Holmes, Jr. (born March 3, 1984 in Belle Glade, Florida) is a wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the NFL. He attended The Ohio State University. Holmes left college a year early and was taken in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft. The 25th pick overall, he was the first and only receiver taken in the first round.
- Chic Harley
Charles Wesley "Chic" Harley (September 15, 1895 - April 21, 1974) was one of the outstanding American football players of the first half of the 20th century and the player who first brought the Ohio State University football program to national attention. Harley was Ohio State's first consensus first-team All-America selection and first three-time All-America selection. In 1951 he became a charter inductee in the College Football Hall of Fame.
- Jim Marshall
Jim Marshall (born December 30, 1937 Danville, Kentucky) played college football at Ohio State University. He left school before his senior year, and played for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League. He was then drafted in the 4th round of the 1960 NFL draft by the Cleveland Browns. Marshall played the 1960 season with the Browns. He played from 1961 to 1979 with the Minnesota Vikings.
- Mike Current
Michael Current (born September 17 1945 in Lima, Ohio) was a college and professional offensive lineman in the 1960s and '70s. Current played left tackle for the Ohio State Buckeyes under head coach Woody Hayes. After backing up All American Jim Davidson as a sophomore, Current became a starter as junior in 1965. Prior to his senior year, he was named a team co-captain, along with defensive back John Fill and center Ray Pryor.
- Bob Ferguson
Robert E. "Bob" Ferguson (August 29, 1939 - December 30, 2004) was an American football running back and member of the College Football Hall of Fame. He is considered by many to be the greatest fullback in the history of the Ohio State University Buckeyes. Ferguson's first year of eligibility at Ohio State was 1959. The starting fullback at the beginning of the season was the senior, and Heisman Trophy candidate, Bob White.
- Pepe Pearson
Pepe Pearson (born December 11, 1975) is a former American football tailback, starting in college for the Ohio State Buckeyes.
- Chris Spielman
Charles Christopher Spielman (born October 11, 1965) is a former football player and is currently an analyst for ESPN's coverage of college football games.
- Will Smith
Will Smith (born July 4, 1981 in Queens, New York) is an American football defensive end who currently plays for the New Orleans Saints of the NFL. He played college football at The Ohio State University.
- Bobby Carpenter
Bobby Carpenter (born August 1, 1983 in Lancaster, Ohio) is an American football linebacker, drafted from Ohio State University by the Dallas Cowboys with the 18th pick in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He is the son of former New York Giants running back Rob Carpenter. Carpenter, a LCMS Christian, played at Lancaster High School where his father is head coach. Bobby has three younger brothers, Jonathan (a football player at the University of Cincinnati), …
- Art Schlichter
Arthur Ernest Schlichter (born April 25 1960 in Washington Court House, Ohio) is a former college and professional American football quarterback, perhaps known more for his compulsive gambling and other legal problems. Born in Washington Court House, Ohio, Schlichter was a star player at Miami Trace High School, and a standout player at Ohio State, who nearly led his team to the national title.
- Quinn Pitcock
Quinn Pitcock (b. September 14, 1983) is a defensive tackle for the Indianapolis Colts. He played in college for Ohio State University. Pitcock was drafted in the 3rd round (98th overall pick) of the 2007 NFL Draft by the Colts. Heavier than the typical Colts defensive tackle, Pitcock should figure to have a prominent role in the Colts' defensive tackle rotation given his needed run stuffing ability.
- Cris Carter
Cristopher D. Carter (born November 25, 1965 in Troy, Ohio) is a former American football player. He played wide receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles (1987-89), the Minnesota Vikings (1990-2001) and the Miami Dolphins (2002). Carter attended Middletown High School in Middletown, Ohio. He went on to star at The Ohio State University and was drafted by the Eagles in the 4th round of the 1987 NFL supplemental draft.
- Antonio Pittman
Antonio Pittman (born December 9, 1985 in Akron, Ohio) was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the 2007 NFL draft, and was a running back for The Ohio State University. Before arriving at Ohio State, Pittman attended Buchtel High School in Akron, Ohio, where he earned All-Ohio honors as a senior. Pittman majored in African American and African Studies at Ohio State. He is 5'11" and 195 pounds. Pittman entered the 2006 season as the starting running back for the Buckeyes.