3 NFL games that Ohio State fans must watch to see how key stars of National Championship roster play

With 14 Ohio State Buckeyes drafted in the 2025 class, there are plenty of talented rookies for fans to keep up with around the league. A whopping seven players were taken by the end of Round 2, so this is a group that is expected to push for starting jobs or major rotational slots early. 

The 2025 NFL schedule has dropped, and there are three games featuring multiple former Buckeyes from the National Championship roster that will be especially intriguing. Let's take a look at those games and why you'll want to watch.

New England Patriots at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

When: Week 10

We can finally turn the page on the battle of former Tom Brady teams and get onto more modern storylines. Buckeye fans have the chance to see two beloved staples of their offense for the last four years: wide receiver Emeka Egbuka and running back TreVeyon Henderson.

Egbuka was a surprise first-round pick by Tampa Bay, while Henderson came off the board with the sixth pick in the second-round. While Egbuka will look to break into an established receiver room, it's an older group that is clearly looking toward revamping around him sooner than later.

Mike Evans and Chris Godwin have struggled to stay healthy and are getting older and more expensive.

Henderson has the chance to challenge Rhamondre Stevenson for touches right away. While Stevenson has been good, he lacks the explosiveness of Henderson. Drake Maye will love having Henderson's third-down value, too. 

It's possible New England will have to play catch up a lot in this one based on the talent differences on each roster. However, it'll be great to see stalwarts of Ryan Day's Buckeyes square off.

Indianapolis Colts at Kansas City Chiefs 

When: Week 13

We're going from playmakers to trench stars with this one. Ohio State left tackle Josh Simmons could be on the field to defende second-round pick JT Tuimoloau. Simmons' recovery from a torn ACL will be part of the factor, but he's also not in a position to be rushed into playing in Year 1. 

If Simmons does see the field by Week 13, that means he's being highly relied upon because free-agent pickup Jaylon Moore didn't work out. Simmons' ceiling is sky high, and he was my top left tackle prospect in the class. The torn ACL matters, though.

Meanwhile, Tuimoloau is coming off a heroic College Football Playoff run. The Buckeyes desperately needed him to step up, and Tuimoloau was as clutch as they come. He led the team in pressures and sacks throughout the Playoff.

Pittsburgh Steelers at Cleveland Browns

When: Week 17

We saved a juicy one for last. Will Howard and Jack Sawyer will take on Quinshon Judkins in the cold weather come December. The most interesting part of this is that Cleveland passed on Howard twice in favor of other quarterbacks, including Oregon's Dillon Gabriel and Colorado's Shedeur Sanders.

Why Cleveland opted for Gabriel over Howard is still baffling. Howard's clutch play, accuracy, mobility, size, and leadership are all excellent for a backup and borderline starter. Gabriel certainly has the experience to be good in a backup's role, but not going with Howard was a surprise.

Sawyer's another big-time leader who contributed throughout his career. He made the biggest splash plays of the season for the defense. It's impossible to tell the Buckeyes' season story without mentioning him.

Finally, we have Quinshon Judkins. Surprisingly taken over Henderson, he profiles as a more traditional workhorse back. He'll have his work cut out for him against Cam Heyward and the Steelers.