Ohio State leads the way with 14 NFL combine invitations

The rich vein of professional talent at Ohio State was on full display Thursday as a staggering 14 players were invited to attend the NFL Scouting Combine in late February.

The Buckeyes led the way among collegiate football programs by a wide margin, with Notre Dame coming in second with 10 invites. Those two programs faced off in the 2016 Fiesta Bowl, with Ohio State emerging victorious in a contest oozing with professional prospects.

Miami holds the record for the most players selected in the first round of the NFL draft with six players in 2004, but 12 years later, that mark is in serious jeopardy with the Buckeyes' draft class.

Defensive end Joey Bosa, offensive tackle Taylor Decker, running back Ezekiel Elliott, and receiver Michael Thomas are very likely to be picked in the first round. Safety Vonn Bell, cornerback Eli Apple, and linebacker Darron Lee could be drafted late in the first round as well, which would give the program the new NFL draft record.

With so much talent in the program, it remains one of the year's biggest shocks that Ohio State didn't qualify for the 2015 College Football Playoff.