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Finebaum: Ohio State not winning national title this year a "colossal failure" (2:57)
Paul Finebaum and Cam Newton explain why they are more disappointed in Ohio State than Alabama this season. (2:57)
Jake TrotterJan 9, 2026, 01:55 PM ET
- Jake Trotter is a senior writer at ESPN. Trotter covers college football. He also writes about other college sports, including men's and women's basketball. Trotter resides in the Cleveland area with his wife and three kids and is a fan of his hometown Oklahoma City Thunder. He covered the Cleveland Browns and NFL for ESPN for five years, moving back to college football in 2024. Previously, Trotter worked for the Middletown (Ohio) Journal, Austin American-Statesman and Oklahoman newspapers before joining ESPN in 2011. He's a 2004 graduate of Washington and Lee University. You can reach out to Trotter at [email protected] and follow him on X at @Jake_Trotter.
Ohio State standout defensive tackle Kayden McDonald is leaving school early and declaring for the NFL draft, he announced on social media Friday.
McDonald is the fourth projected first-round pick from Ohio State to enter the draft this week, joining wide receiver Carnell Tate, safety Caleb Downs and linebacker Arvell Reese.
ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. ranks McDonald as his No. 18 overall prospect.
"I'm proud to say I played for the greatest university in the world," McDonald said on a social media post. "Scarlet and gray forever."
McDonald had 65 tackles, 3 sacks and 2 forced fumbles for a Buckeyes defense that ranked No. 1 nationally, allowing just 9.3 points per game.
He was named a unanimous All-American and the Big Ten's Defensive Lineman of the Year.
