Denzel Ward headlined a group of a dozen former Ohio State players who were at the Browns' facility Monday morning.
Ward, the former star cornerback for the Buckeyes, was among roughly 40 prospects hosted by Cleveland for its annual local pro day, designed for players who either grew up in the area or attended college locally.
Ward, projected to be a top-10 pick in the upcoming NFL Draft, was joined by former teammates such as defensive end Jalyn Holmes, tight end Marcus Baugh, linebacker Chris Worley, defensive linemen Tracy Sprinkle and Michael Hill and safeties Damon Webb and Erick Smith. Ward played high school football at Nordonia, Sprinkle attended Elyria and Worley and Smith were top-ranked recruits out of Glenville.
Local pro days also serve as an opportunity for teams to work out lesser-known prospects from Ohio schools such as Akron, Kent State, Cincinnati, John Carroll and Findlay. Cleveland also hosted four former walk-ons from Ohio State: wide receiver Elijaah Goins, linebacker Zach Turnure, cornerback Trevon Forte and defensive lineman Nick Seme.
The Browns hold the first and fourth overall picks in the NFL Draft and are in the process of hosting players — including the draft's top quarterbacks — on pre-draft visits.
The draft is set to begin April 26 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
