Ohio State Football: Buckeyes' Top 2017 NFL Draft Prospects

Ohio State's 2016 NFL draft class, headlined by No. 3 overall pick Joey Bosa and No. 4 Ezekiel Elliott, was historically great as it accounted for five of the first 20 picks and 10 selections in the first three rounds.

The Buckeyes' 2017 NFL haul won't be nearly as impressive.

That should be a given, of course, as head coach Urban Meyer's young squad is replacing 16 total starters this fall. And with only six scholarship seniors on the roster, it would be incredibly surprising if many non-seniors pulled the trigger and made an early jump to the NFL.

These three players, though, could hear their names in the 2017 draft.

Raekwon McMillan, Linebacker

Ohio State's top NFL prospect next spring will be middle linebacker Raekwon McMillan.

The former 5-star prospect was rated the No. 1 inside linebacker for the class of 2014, and with another solid season in Columbus, he could be one of the top backers in next year's draft.

McMillan was solid in his freshman season, playing in a heavy rotation as a reserve behind Curtis Grant. He logged 54 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and an interception that he returned for a touchdown against Maryland.

Jamie Sabau/Getty Images

A year later, as the lone starter in a top-10 defense, he led the team with 119 total tackles to complement four tackles for loss. He was named to the All-Big Ten First Team defense by the media and second team by the coaches.

With another year as the star and anchor of Ohio State's defense, the true junior's draft stock should only rise, and he could end his collegiate career to start his professional one a year early. 

Gareon Conley, Cornerback

Ohio State has had a cornerback drafted in each of the last three drafts—two of which were first-rounders (Bradley Roby in 2014 and Eli Apple last Thursday).

Junior Gareon Conley could keep that streak alive in 2017.

Ohio State cornerbacks coach Kerry Coombs talked about the bar the team's previous cornerbacks set and how Conley's ready to maintain that standard, according to Eric Seger of Eleven Warriors:

"

Absolutely, Gareon is ready. He and I have met several times already about his opportunity to lead in the back end and that will be his job. It is wonderful when it works out that way.

[...]

It’s nice to have a guy who has been a starter, who is coming back to lead the room. What was great for these guys — and if you even go way back it was Roby and Travis Howard when we first got here — it’s been the same process. Doran really established in the room how to lead the room and Eli was a different kind of leader, but Eli definitely was that guy this year.

"

Conley's every bit as capable of leading Ohio State's secondary as the cornerbacks before him. Last year, in his first season as a full-time starter, Conley registered 49 tackles and ranked second on the team with two interceptions. 

The coaching staff is confident in his abilities, and as the lone returning starter in the secondary, he can showcase his NFL readiness if Ohio State leaves him on an island for a majority of the 2016 season. 

Pat Elflein, Offensive Lineman

Few interior linemen will have more experience and versatility in the 2017 NFL draft than senior Pat Elflein. 

The Buckeyes called his number early in his career, when a fight during the Michigan game in his freshman season thrust him into action. Despite his youth, he came in and held his own to close out against the Wolverines, and then he continued his strong play against Michigan State in the Big Ten title game.

Andrew Weber/Getty Images

Over the last two seasons, Elflein has anchored the interior of an Ohio State rushing attack that has ranked in the top 12 of the national standings at right guard. But with senior Jacoby Boren's departure, the senior has slid over and will be snapping the ball to J.T. Barrett this fall.

Elflein has been called upon at center previously—like late in the first half against Alabama in the Sugar Bowl—so there's familiarity there. But Elflein is committing to the move and feels great ahead of his final season in Columbus.

"I’ve lost a little bit of weight, I’m quicker, stronger, so I feel like it’s going to be a great transition, and I’m excited about it," Elflein said, per Seger.

All recruiting rankings and information courtesy of 247Sports. 

David Regimbal is the lead Ohio State football writer for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter @davidreg412.