Ohio State vs. Michigan: Power Ranking the Top 5 NFL Draft-Eligible Players

Several pro prospects will take the field when Michigan battles Ohio State at the Big House this weekend. Although there are fewer elite talents than in past editions of The Game, plenty appear as though they have a great chance to make an impact at the NFL level.

One noticeable omission from these power rankings is dual-threat quarterback Braxton Miller. The junior signal-caller has made noticeable improvements to his game but still lacks the consistent accuracy required to play at the NFL level.

Only a couple of the following players have a shot to be taken in the first round of the draft, however, the remainder will likely turn out to be mid-round steals down the road.

Note: Unless noted otherwise, all position and overall rankings are courtesy of ESPN's Scouts Inc. (subscription required).

5. Bradley Roby, Cornerback

Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports

Sep 28, 2013; Columbus, OH, USA; Wisconsin Badgers wide receiver Jared Abbrederis (4) gets tackled by Ohio State Buckeyes cornerback Bradley Roby (1) during the second quarter at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports

Position Rank: No. 8

Overall Rank: No. 53

The combine cannot come soon enough for Bradley Roby, who has seen his NFL draft stock take a significant hit this season. Following an offseason in which he earned a one-game suspension, the junior cornerback has consistently been torched by top receivers.

Wisconsin's Jared Abbrederis hauled in 10 catches for 207 receiving yards and one touchdown. Penn State's Allen Robinson further abused Roby as he grabbed 12 receptions for 173 yards and one touchdown. 

Those are the kinds of receivers the 5'11", 192-pounder will consistently have to face at the next level. If he cannot contain them in college, how will he be able to cover better and more experienced professional wide receivers?

Roby has 54 tackles and three interceptions this season, but this has been a campaign he would like to forget.

Scouts will get yet another chance to see him against a top-flight wideout this weekend. Although Michigan's Jeremy Gallon is a bit undersized, he makes up for it with precise route running and excellent double moves. 

Roby has already declared for the draft and cannot afford another rocky outing against a No. 1 receiver.

4. Jack Mewhort, Offensive Tackle

Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Jack Mewhort should be a stout offensive tackle at the next level.

Position Rank: No. 9

Overall Rank: No. 97

One of the biggest reasons why the Ohio State Buckeyes have the nation's No. 5 ranked rushing offense is senior offensive tackle Jack Mewhort. 

The 6'7", 308-pounder is a three-year starter for Ohio State, and this is arguably his best season to date. With him stationed at left tackle, the Buckeyes have rushed for a whopping 314.7 yards per game. 

As far as the NFL goes, though, Mewhort has quite a few things to work on. In three of the four scouting categories pertaining to the offensive tackle position, he was labeled as "average" in all but one, as per  ESPN (subscription required).

The main thing hurting him is consistency. It is clear the potential is there, especially with his large frame. Now, he simply needs to put all the tools he has together on a regular basis.

Look for Ohio State to do plenty of running Saturday behind Mewhort.

3. Carlos Hyde, Running Back

Jamie Sabau/Getty Images

Carlos Hyde should be shooting up draft boards this winter.

Position Rank: No. 5

Overall Rank: No. 65

Carlos Hyde has been an absolute monster for the Ohio State Buckeyes this season. There is no other way to put it. The bruising tailback has racked up 1,064 yards and 13 touchdowns on just 138 carries. He is averaging 7.7 yards per carry.

Those numbers have caught the attention of ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. The draft guru recently rated Hyde as the No. 1 senior running back entering the 2014 NFL draft (subscription required).  

A large part of why Hyde has been so successful is because of how well he complements Braxton Miller. With teams keying on Miller and his ability to stretch the field, Hyde pounds opponents into submission with strong runs between the tackles. 

When the Buckeyes need to grind out a win late, or just wear out defenses, they turn to Hyde.

Michigan's improved defensive line and banged up linebacking corps is going to have its hands full with this power runner come Saturday. 

2. Ryan Shazier, Outside Linebacker

Jamie Sabau/Getty Images

Ryan Shazier has been dominant at linebacker for the Buckeyes.

Position Rank: No. 5

Overall Rank: No. 46

There is no question who the best player on Ohio State's defense is. Junior outside linebacker Ryan Shazier has held together a relatively weak group of linebackers and has done so in dominant fashion.

The Pompano Beach, Fla. product has notched 107 tackles and 5.5 sacks through 11 games this season. Recent contests against Illinois and Indiana have been even greater examples of his potential at the professional level. In those matchups, Shazier tallied 35 tackles, 26 of which were solo efforts, along with 2.5 sacks.

The Game will be another golden opportunity for him to highlight his talents. Michigan's offensive line has struggled to pick up blitzes this year and opposing defenses have made a living in its backfield.

As far as draft stock goes, Shazier is on the rise. ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. rated him as the No. 3 outside linebacker among all non-seniors (subscription required). He is going to have a tough time deciding whether or not to return for another year at Ohio State or bolt for the league at season's end.

Expect Shazier to swallow up Devin Gardner and the Wolverines running backs all afternoon. 

1. Taylor Lewan, Offensive Tackle

Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Taylor Lewan is still the best draft prospect between Michigan and Ohio State.

Position Rank: No. 2

Overall Rank: No. 12

His senior season has been frustrating, but Taylor Lewan will still be the best NFL draft prospect on the field in Ann Arbor this weekend. Naysayers may feel his stock is dropping due to Michigan's struggles along the offensive line this season, but ESPN draft experts Todd McShay and Mel Kiper Jr. disagree.

"He's been criticized unfairly in some cases where it wasn't even him who was beaten," Kiper said on a conference call, according to Josh Slagter of MLive.com. "To me, he's in that mid-first-round area."

In late October, McShay said the same thing.

"I’ve got him as the ninth overall player/prospect with kind of a middle-first-round grade," McShay told Mark Snyder of the Detroit Free Press. "There’s been a little bit of inconsistency. But I still think he’s, obviously, one of the top 10 players. I think he’s one of the premier players in this class. I like him."

Other talented tackles are on the rise, which could cause Lewan to slip a bit in the draft. Still, experts have him pegged as a sure-fire first-rounder. No one else has earned that kind of praise from either team in The Game.