As Ohio State prepares for the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh, Michigan superfan Dave Portnoy has launched a preemptive strike. Leveraging the Buckeyes’ overwhelming talent against their inability to clear the postseason hurdle, Portnoy took to social media to deliver a brutal reality check to Ryan Day.
The Barstool Sports founder shared a snippet of Day from an ESPN College GameDay appearance and poked down at the discrepancy between Ohio State’s recruiting dominance and their trophy case. Despite a roster that features four projected top-10 picks, the Buckeyes’ 2025 season ended in heartbreak with a 13–10 loss to Indiana in the Big Ten Championship Game, marking the fifth consecutive year Columbus has missed out on a conference title.
Dave Portnoy Mocks Ohio State Head Coach Ryan Day Ahead of NFL Draft
Portnoy took to his X handle to amplify the pressure on the Ohio State coach. “Coach, coach, coach can you explain how you have 5 of the top 10 picks and you still can’t win the Big 10?” Portnoy wrote.
Coach, coach, coach can you explain how you have 5 of the top 10 picks and you still can’t win the Big 10? pic.twitter.com/fVosWebMQe
— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) April 23, 2026
The talent distribution for this draft cycle is indeed historic for the Buckeyes. Linebacker Arvell Reese is projected as high as No. 3 overall to the Arizona Cardinals, while Carnell Tate is mocked to the Cleveland Browns at No. 6 as the draft’s top wideout. Safety Caleb Downs and hybrid defender Sonny Styles are also consensus top-10 selections, linked heavily to the Washington Commanders and New York Giants.
During the GameDay broadcast, Day offered high praise for Downs, though Portnoy interpreted the comments as a deflection. “The first thing that surprised me when Caleb came to Ohio State was that he was a mess,” Day said, reflecting on Downs’ transfer from Alabama. “I don’t know what they were doing at Alabama.”
The emotional peak of the pre-draft coverage came when Sonny Styles spoke with ESPN’s Molly McGrath about his journey to the NFL. “Growing up, my dad was my superhero,” Styles said, referencing his father, Lorenzo Styles Sr., who also played for the Buckeyes. It served as a rare soft moment in a week otherwise defined by intense rivalry banter.
For Day, the 2026 season represents a national championship or bust scenario. While he successfully snapped his losing streak against Michigan with a 27–9 victory in Ann Arbor last November, the subsequent loss to Indiana in the Big Ten title game has kept the “choker” narrative alive in Portnoy’s arsenal. If Day doesn’t deliver a trophy in 2026 with this level of talent, the pressure in Columbus may finally reach its breaking point.
