It was not a long Ohio State career for defensive back Kendall Sheffield but it certainly paid off as the cornerback just had his name called in the NFL Draft in the fourth round with the No. 111 overall pick by the Atlanta Falcons. It has been a long journey for Sheffield that has taken him to two major power-five teams and the JUCO ranks but it was all worth it as he now realizes his dream of playing in the NFL.

Sheffield initially committed to Alabama over Ohio State and several other schools. Sheffield would go on to redshirt at Alabama and never play a down before deciding that his future was meant to be made elsewhere.

A year at Blinn C.C. put him back on the radar of other schools and the Buckeyes did not miss out on Sheffield this time around.

Sheffield would play two full seasons with the Buckeyes as part of their cornerback rotation. During his career he would have 75 tackles, 58 of them solo, 17 passes defended and two interceptions.

One of the biggest assets that Sheffield was able to show off was his speed. He was not able to run in the NFL Scouting Combine as he injured himself during the bench press drill work. He ended up tearing a pectoral muscle, an injury very similar to what sidelined Billy Price just a year prior.

That did not keep teams from checking Sheffield out and the Missouri City (Texas) native was able to do some individual drill work down the line and took part in Ohio State’s Pro Day.

Sheffield could have come back for one more season with a year of eligibility left but opted to try his luck at the NFL, a decision that is paying off with him now coming off the board.

The Buckeyes have now had a cornerback taken in every NFL Draft since the 2013 draft when only three players were selected from Ohio State overall. The 2018 Draft does snap a streak however of first-round corners for the Buckeyes with players being selected in the first round in the 2016-18 drafts.

It is unknown Sheffield’s availability for the first round of OTAs that will happen in April. If Sheffield is not cleared for contact yet, there will be no shortage of things for him to do as he immerses himself in a new system and tries to make the roster and see meaningful time in 2019.