As the Ohio State Buckeyes shift their focus from a championship-winning season to the 2025 NFL Draft, all eyes are on the program’s top prospects. Household names like Josh Simmons (OT), Emeka Egbuka (WR), Jack Sawyer (EDGE), and Tyleik Williams (DL) are dominating first-round conversations. But not every impact player gets the hype they deserve.
Enter Cody Simon.
Renowned draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. is making sure teams don’t overlook the Buckeyes linebacker, labeling him as one of the most underrated prospects in the entire draft class. In a recent NFL on ESPN video, Kiper praised Simon’s reliability, leadership, and playmaking ability.
This kid was a leader, he was consistent, and he was as much of an MVP for that defense as anybody, Kiper said. I’ll tell you what he can break down in space and make tackles. And he didn’t miss many of those.
The Numbers Don’t Lie
Simon 2024 stats back up Kiper’s claims in a big way:
112 tackles
13 tackles for loss
7 sacks
7 pass deflections
1 forced fumble
For a player flying under the radar, those numbers scream NFL-ready.
Where Could Simon Land?
Despite his impressive rèsume, Simon draft projection is all over the place. Kiper ranks him as the No. 6 off-ball linebacker in the class, but Pro Football Focus (PFF) places him at No. 141 overall, which would land him somewhere in the fifth round.
That kind of projection could make Simon a steal for any team looking for a versatile, high-motor linebacker with elite tackling instincts.
With the draft fast approaching, Simon has a golden opportunity to prove scouts wrong and climb up draft boards. Keep an eye on this Buckeye he might just be one of the biggest sleeper picks of 2025.
