The Green Bay Packers, like the rest of the country, were watching the Ohio State Buckeyes' triumph over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish with great interest. It seems likely that one of the marquee players from this game will end up wearing Packers green and gold in the near future.
Both the Buckeyes and gold-domers have been fruitful wells from which teams like Green Bay can restock their talent pool. This year is no different, with Ohio State, in particular, producing a very encouraging crop of prospects who should waste no time in establishing themselves as high-end NFL players after the 2025 NFL Draft.
These three players may end up putting on a Packers jersey at some point in the near future, as they all help address positions of need. By virtue of having played in a national championship game, these three have shown that their production can come in meaningful games.
3 players from National Championship Game Packers must target in NFL Draft
3. Howard Cross III, DT, Notre Dame
No one would fault the Packers if they used three different draft picks on the defensive line, as the lack of a pass rush outside of Rashan Gary and Devonte Wyatt failing to look like a first-round pick once again has made this area critically important. Cross could be an ideal Day 3 target.
Cross is very undersized for a defensive tackle at around 285 pounds, but the six-year contributor could be a solid backup for a very long time in the pros. With solid initial quickness and better run-stuffing than most DTs his size, Cross' physical tools are worth developing.
2. Jack Sawyer, EDGE, Ohio State
Sawyer and fellow Buckeye edge rusher JT Tuimoloau are both former 5-star recruits who are going to be picked in the first three rounds. Picking between one of them could come down to personal preference. Tuimoloau is a bigger, more versatile lineman, while Sawyer is more of a classic edge rusher.
Sawyer lacks the amazing burst on the edge many Day 2 prospects have, but he has a very refined plan of attack as a pass rusher, tremendous power, and production against some of his better opponents. Sawyer's floor as a pass rusher is very high, which will appeal to Green Bay.
1. Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State
The Packers may have three different No. 2 wide receivers in Jayden Reed, Christian Watson, and Romeo Doubs taking up heavy targets. They lack that game-changing top dog who could make Jordan Love's life much easier, and Egbuka could be that sort of player.
The Buckeyes' all-time catch leader will need to answer questions about his durability and skill on the outside, but everything else about him suggests he can be a playmaker right out of the box. With great speed, strong hands, and some of the best route-running in this class, Egbuka could be on the receiving end of more big Love touchdowns than anyone else in the next half-decade.