Caden Curry Takes in Ohio Stadium One More Time Before NFL Draft
For Caden Curry, the day was not about reps or rotations. It was about being back.
Curry returned to Ohio Stadium for the Buckeyes annual spring game. This time, he was on the sideline, taking it in and reflecting on what the program and the city have meant to him.
"It is different," Curry told the Big Ten Network. "Coming out here and playing all four years, it is something special on this field. Now being an alum, it is special."
You could see it in the way he carried himself. Columbus still matters. While Curry is now just days away from the NFL Draft, where he is projected as a mid to late round pick, his focus has changed, but the connection to Ohio State has not.
"Yeah, just staying around Columbus, talking with coaches," Curry said. "Obviously it is the best facilities around, so being able to be with our guys and keep getting work in every day."
Curry's ascension with Buckeyes
In four years, his path at Ohio State rose steadily. He worked into the defensive line rotation early in his career before taking on a much larger role in his final season.
That growth showed up in the numbers. After recording 14 tackles as a freshman in 2022, Curry developed into one of Ohio State's most productive defensive linemen in 2025. He finished with 66 tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss and 11 sacks, started all 14 games, and earned Associated Press All American honors.
Those statistics are now part of what Ohio State must find a way to replenish. "There's a lot of production there that we have to replace," coach Ryan Day said earlier this month.
While Caden watched from the sideline, a new wave of defensive linemen took the field, competing for roles of their own. It is a familiar cycle inside the program, but one that feels different when you are stepping away from it.
"They become Buckeyes," Curry said. "When you come to Ohio State, it is always related. I know Coach Patricia does a good job with them in the meetings, getting them ready for this moment."
Curry has already lived that process. Earning snaps, carving out a role, and growing into a player the defense relied on.
Now, as he looks ahead, it's on to the NFL. But the lessons learned in Columbus will stay with him.
"It is about fighting every single day to be the best version of yourself."
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/ohiostate as Caden Curry Takes in Ohio Stadium One More Time Before NFL Draft.
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This story was originally published April 19, 2026 at 2:26 PM.