The Ohio State Buckeyes will face off against the Miami Hurricanes on Wednesday, December 31st, in the quarterfinals of the college football playoffs. This game will be loaded with talented draft prospects on both teams.
Rueben Bain Jr. is coming off a three-sack performance against Texas A&M in the first round of the playoffs. There has been a lot of discussion about his limited arm length. For me, I just see a darn good football player. He has really good bend with a thick lower half. He has a powerful bull-rush, active hands, and won’t even turn 22 years old until September.
Caleb Downs is a safety prospect from Ohio State that most fans are already familiar with. Geno Stone is scheduled to be a free agent after the season. The Bengals will need to upgrade the position via free agency or the draft. Downs is known as a coach on the field. He is consistently in the correct position to make plays, is a reliable tackler, and makes the players around him better.
Arvell Reese is a hybrid linebacker/defensive end who could stick at either one at the next level. While he hasn’t been nearly as dominant in the second half of the season, he has traits galore that will see him drafted within the first ten picks of the draft, most likely. Reese is a physical downhill presence against the run that has flashed his pass-rushing prowess with 6.5 sacks on the season. Reese would be a player who would fill the viper role in Al Golden’s defense if he became a Cincinnati Bengal.
Francis Mauigoa is an offensive tackle for the Hurricanes. He has started during all three years he has been at Miami at right tackle. He is a mauler in the running game, blocks well out in space, and had an incredible 88.8 pass blocking grade during the regular season in 2025. Some analysts project him to slide inside to guard. If the Bengals do not sign Dalton Risner, he could become a more realistic option for Cincinnati.
Kayden McDonald is a run-stuffing defensive tackle for the Buckeyes. He is an anchor against the running game in the middle of a defense. He can get some push up the middle at times with power as a pass rusher, but that isn’t going to be what gets him drafted highly this year. The Bengals are expected to keep TJ Slaton next season, but that is the last year of his deal. If McDonald were somehow available in the second round, that would be hard to pass up.
Sonny Styles is another potential first round prospect on the Buckeye defense. The converted safety has taken another huge step in his development at linebacker this year. He is constantly making the right run fit, hasn’t missed a single tackle on the season, and is expected to be an elite tester at the combine.
Akheem Mesidor is an older prospect for the Hurricanes who plays opposite of Rueben Bain Jr. on the defensive line. While he will be turning 25 soon, his ability as a pass rusher could still make him a top 50 draft selection this year.
Keionte Scott is a talented cornerback for the Hurricanes. He has the versatility to play in the slot, on the outside, or at safety. The Bengals have a similar player in Dax Hill. That type of versatility, his physicality against the running game, and his leadership qualities all make him a prospect trending upward.
The Buckeyes have a physical cornerback of their own, sometimes to the detriment of the team. While he has cut down on pass interference penalties, he is still too grabby down the field. Some would argue it is better to have to teach a guy to be less physical, than to not have that physical nature to begin with. Igbinosun has great size and length for the position. His competitive nature on the field might be a welcome addition to the team.
The Bengals could be losing Trey Hendrickson and Joseph Ossai after the season. Ohio State has a pair of defensive ends that they might be interested in. Kenyatta Jackson Jr. is the better pro prospect, while Caden Curry has been the more productive player this year.
The last player I will spotlight for this game is defensive tackle Ahmad Moten. Moten has legitimate pass rush juice from the interior at defensive tackle. He has one of the highest pressure rates in the country at 25.4% on the year. He has posted 4.5 sacks on the season. He also has a 74.3 run defense grade. If he declares, he could end up being a day two draft pick that would fit well on the Cincinnati Bengals defensive line.
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