Ohio State Buckeyes

Meet the former Ohio State Buckeyes drafted into the USFL

Published Feb. 24, 2022 2:04 p.m. ET

Ohio State is one of the premier football programs in the country, populating NFL rosters with former Buckeyes every year.

And now, the USFL will also be reaping the benefits of the Ohio State talent pool, with three former players entering the league via this week's draft.

Former Ohio State wide receiver Johnnie Dixon and running back Mike Webber both heard their names called on Wednesday during the draft.

Dixon was selected to the New Orleans Breakers, with their second wide receiver pick of the draft.

He played at Ohio State from 2014-2018, recording 67 receptions for 1,146 yards and 16 touchdowns during his career. He entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2019 but never a team's roster.

Weber was selected in the 27th round by the New Jersey Generals.

During his four seasons at Ohio State from 2015-2018, Weber rushed for 2,676 rushing yards and 24 touchdowns. He was drafted into the NFL by the Dallas Cowboys during the seventh round of the 2019 draft and spent time on several practice squads.

The third former Buckeye to enter the USFL was defensive end Jonathan Newsome. He played at OSU for two years (2009-10) before transferring to Ball State. He was selected in the fourth round by the Birmingham Stallions.

Ohio State is known for producing pros on the football field, and now with the USFL getting off the ground, it should come as no surprise that former Buckeyes are beginning to find landing spots in the new league.