Since 1999, Ohio State has sent 10 cornerbacks to the first round of the NFL Draft (no one else has more than five in that span). Okudah hopes to become the next Buckeye pass defender to join that group. He strengthened his claim during the 2019 season, starting all 14 games and garnering first-team Associated Press All-American, first-team All-Big Ten, and Jim Thorpe Award finalist honors. Okudah led the Buckeyes with three interceptions and nine pass breakups as a junior, also posting 35 tackles and two forced fumbles. Despite not starting a game in 2018, he tied for the team lead in pass breakups with eight while also recording 34 tackles. Okudah enrolled in Columbus a semester early as a five-star recruit and the top cornerback prospect in the country out of Grand Prairie, Texas. He played in all 14 games in 2017 as a true freshman (19 tackles, one pass breakup) but underwent shoulder surgery after the season. Okudah's mother, Marie, passed away in 2017 after a long battle with lymphoma.

An aptly named back, this speedy Bulldog was part of one of the best backfield groups in the country his first two years in Athens. Swift led the team in rushing as a sophomore, starting five of 14 games played and accumulating 1,049 yards and 10 touchdowns on 163 carries (6.4 yards per attempt), even though some nagging injuries limited his workload. He also caught 32 passes for 297 yards (9.3 yards per catch) and three scores. Swift was the headliner in 2019, earning first-team All-SEC honors with 1,218 yards and seven touchdowns on 196 carries (6.2 yards per attempt) and 24 catches for 216 yards (9.0 yards per catch) and a touchdown. While he played in all 14 games in 2019, Swift had a shoulder injury that limited him to 11 starts. The five-star recruit from St. Joseph's Prep in Pennsylvania made the SEC All-Freshman team and was Georgia's Co-Offensive Newcomer of the Year in 2017 (81 carries, 618 rushing yards, 7.6 yards per carry, three TDs rushing; 17 catches, 153 receiving yards, 9.0 yards per catch, one TD receiving in 15 games, one start). Swift's father, Darren, gained notoriety on Twitter after a television shot showed his impressive physique.

Julian is the brother of former Notre Dame and current Detroit Lions defensive end Romeo Okwara. They moved from Nigeria to the U.S. with their family when Julian was eight years old. The younger Okwara was a top-250 prospect nationally and first-team All-Charlotte pick as a senior before joining Romeo in South Bend. Julian played in 11 games (four tackles) as a reserve in 2016, joining eight other true freshmen in contributing heavily for the Irish. Okwara played in 12 games as a reserve in 2017 (17 tackles, 4.5 for loss, 2.5 sacks). He then started the final 12 contests of the 2018 season, leading the team with 12.5 tackles for loss and tying for first with eight sacks among his 38 total stops in 13 appearances. Okwara started the first nine games of 2019 (18 tackles, six for loss, four sacks, two forced fumbles, one blocked kick) but suffered a broken left fibula against Duke to end his senior season.

After four years at Rutgers, Jackson decided to change schools for his final year of eligibility. Staying in the Big Ten, he signed on with Ohio State to compete for one of the four open starting jobs on the line. Jackson won the left guard job, eventually earning third-team Associated Press All-American and first-team All-BigTen honors for his play in 14 starts for the Big Ten champs. He was a honorable mention all-conference player in 2018, starting 11 games at right guard. The former three-star recruit from Pennsylvania started five of six games played his sophomore season, three at center and two at right guard. Jackson played in all 12 games as a reserve for the Scarlet Knights as a redshirt freshman in 2016.

Kentucky reached into Alabama to grab Stenberg, one of the state's top high school offensive-line recruits. The four-year starter at Madison's James Clemens High contributed in 12 games as a reserve as a redshirt freshman. He ascended to the starting gig in 2017, starting all 13 games at left guard. Stenberg started every game at left guard in 2018, helping Benny Snell Jr. become Kentucky's all-time leading rusher. He started all 13 games at left guard again his senior campaign, earning 2019 second-team All-SEC honors for his bullish play. Stenberg was benched for a couple of series in the team's Belk Bowl win over Virginia Tech due to receiving a personal foul penalty.

Cephus' collegiate career was temporarily derailed before the 2018 season when he was accused of sexual assault. He was acquitted of those charges in August 2019, however, and returned to the Badgers for his third season. Cephus led the team in receptions (59), receiving yards (901, 15.3 per), and receiving touchdowns (seven) in 14 games (five starts) to earn honorable mention All-Big Ten honors in 2019. He received those same accolades as a sophomore in 2017, making 30 catches for 501 yards (16.7 per) and six scores in nine games (eight starts). Cephus missed the end of the season with a right leg injury. The two-sport star from Stratford Academy in Georgia turned down basketball scholarships to sign with the Badgers, and coaches put him in the lineup for all 14 games (five starts) in his true freshman season (four receptions, 94 yards, 23.5 average).

Huntley made a name for himself nationally in 2018 by leading the FBS with three kickoff returns for touchdowns (22 returns, 598 yards, 27.2 average). He was also a valuable member of the Aggies' offense as a rusher (109 carries, 505 yards, 4.6 average, seven touchdowns) and receiver (47 receptions, 529 yards, 11.3 average, three touchdowns) while starting 11 of 12 games played. NMSU coaches put the ball in his hands more often his senior year, allowing him to rush for 1,090 yards on 154 carries (a strong 7.1 yards per) and nine scores. His receiving (40 receptions, 192 yards, 4.8 average, two touchdowns) and kickoff production declined (15 returns, 302 yards, 20.1 average), however. The first-team all-district selection out of Martin High School in Texas did not get major offers due to his size, but he did contribute a bit as a true freshman (40 carries, 167 yards, 4.2 average, one touchdown; eight receptions, 35 yards, 4.4 average; four kick returns, 88 yards, 22.0 average, one start in 11 games). Huntley started four of 12 games played as a sophomore, returning two kickoffs for scores (18 returns, 533 yards, 29.6 average) and breaking out as an offensive threat (70 carries 420 yards, 6.0 average, one touchdown; 39 receptions, 363 yards, 9.3 average, two touchdowns).

Penisini (pronounced pen-ih-see-nee) was an honorable mention all-state pick at West Jordan High School in Utah before signing on with Snow Junior College. He earned honorable mention all-conference honors there in 2015 (40 tackles, 6.5 for loss, three sacks) but did not play the following season. Penisini joined the Utes for the 2017 campaign, starting one of 12 games played but providing limited production (four tackles, one sack). He stepped forward as a junior, garnering second-team All-Pac-12 notice and playing in all 14 games with starts in the final eight contests (38 tackles, seven for loss, two sacks, blocked kick). Penisini was a second-team all-conference pick as a senior, as well, starting 13 of 14 games played (38 tackles, seven for loss, two sacks, two forced fumbles).

The Buckeyes grabbed Cornell from famed Cretin-Derham Hall High School in the Twin Cities, from where baseball star Joe Mauer, Heisman Trophy winner Chris Weinke and former NFL receiver Michael Floyd all graduated. The top-50 overall recruit nationally struggled to find the field early in his career due to the Buckeyes' talent up front. He redshirted in 2015 and played in five games as a reserve the following season (four tackles, 1.5 for loss). Cornell broke through a bit at defensive tackle in 2017, posting 14 stops (3.5 for loss, two sacks) as a reserve in 14 games. He got his first start as a junior in 2018, lining up against his home-state Gophers (15 tackles, two for loss, one sack in 13 games overall). Big Ten coaches acknowledged his strong play as a senior, voting him honorable mention all-conference as a 14-game starter in a hybrid tackle/end role (30 tackles, 6.5 for loss, four sacks).