Ohio State's Tyreke Smith selected by Seattle Seahawks in fifth round of NFL draft

Tyreke Smith became the first defensive player from Ohio State selected in this year’s NFL draft when he was taken by the Seattle Seahawks in the fifth round on Saturday afternoon.

The Buckeyes’ four other previously picked prospects were on offense, including receivers Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave who were scooped up in the first round.

Seattle nabbed Smith with the No. 158 overall selection.

Smith’s potential as a pass rusher put him on draft boards for teams across the league. He led the Buckeyes in quarterback pressures in each of the last two seasons, according to data collected by Pro Football Focus.

But injuries kept the Cleveland native from reaching his ceiling at Ohio State as he never went through an entire season without a health setback.

After first joining the program in 2018, he dealt with a groin injury, and the effects from surgery to repair it in the offseason sidelined him for three of the first five games as a sophomore.

He also missed the national championship game against Alabama the following season due to a positive COVID-19 test and three games as a senior due to an injury.

“Some of them were a fluke,” Smith said, looking back on his career at the NFL scouting combine in March. “I couldn’t even do anything about them. But I never really have any regrets or anything.”

The wait for a Buckeyes defender to be taken in the draft was an unusually long one.

It was the first time in a decade that no defensive prospect from Ohio State heard his name called over the first four rounds. In 2012, safety Nate Ebner lasted until the sixth round.

But his selection did continue an impressive streak for his position group as at least one Buckeyes defensive end has been drafted in each of the last five years.

On a conference call with reporters following his selection, Smith said he is likely switching from defensive end.

The Seahawks plan on using him as a standup outside linebacker in their new 3-4 scheme being installed by promoted defensive coordinator Clint Hurtt.

The position will still feature Smith as a pass rusher, but he will likely drop into coverage more often than he did at Ohio State, where he lined up as an end in a 4-3 front.

"But we definitely worked it in practice many times," he said. "Every day almost in practice. (Defensive line coach Larry Johnson) was adamant about us working on all of our techniques. I’m definitely comfortable with dropping."

Fellow former Buckeyes defensive end Jonathon Cooper made a similar switch to outside linebacker last season after he was selected in the seventh round by the Denver Broncos.

Joey Kaufman covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch. Contact him at jkaufman@dispatch.com or on Twitter @joeyrkaufman.

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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Tyreke Smith picked by Seattle Seahawks in fifth round of NFL draft