After having an astonishing 12 players selected in the 2016 NFL Draft, Ohio State still retains a lot of talent. Linebacker Raekwon McMillan is the biggest standout of the bunch.
While quarterback J.T. Barrett returns to lead the Buckeye offense, McMillan is back to lead a defense that returns just three starters from 2015. McMillan was a finalist for the 2015 Butkus Award (presented to college football's top linebacker), and is on the preseason watch list for that award in 2016, as well as the Bednarik Award and Walter Camp Award. McMillan enters this season as NFL Media draft analyst Lance Zierlein's No. 15-rated junior prospect.
Pulling back the curtain on the vote
McMillan earned votes from six of seven CFB 24/7 experts, including one top-10 vote. In CFB 24/7's "16 for '16" series, McMillan was rated No. 2 on the list of college football defenders most likely to become NFL stars.
What some of our analysts are saying about McMillan
"Ohio State lost a lot of talent on defense but McMillan's return is huge. He's a dominant run defender and he has the ability to match up with tight ends underneath in coverage." -- Daniel Jeremiah
"Rugged linebacker with the kind of thump that makes runners pause in the hole." -- Bucky Brooks
"Every team wants 'tone setters' -- guys that establish dominance early in games. This thumper does exactly that, and makes Ohio State a physical presence to deal with each week." -- Charles Davis
"The 2013 High School Butkus Award winner takes a leadership role for an Ohio State team that lost a ton of talent to the NFL draft. He can set the edge, attack the passer and stone running backs in the hole." -- Chad Reuter
"McMillan is the nation's top inside linebacker and, unlike many standouts at the position, he's more than capable on third down. He'll make a transition from being just another talented piece in a star-studded OSU defense to being its primary anchor." -- Chase Goodbread
Where do fans rank McMillan?
We asked Twitter users who they considered the best player in college football. McMillan hasn't registered on the radar for fans ... yet. The linebacker didn't receive a vote, but it's tough to stand out on a defense that had six players selected in the 2016 NFL Draft. With Joey Bosa, Darron Lee, Eli Apple and Vonn Bell playing on Sundays, McMillan will be relied on more heavily this season.
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