BLACKSBURG, VA - SEPTEMBER 7: Head coach Urban Meyer of the Ohio State Buckeyes gets his team ready before the game against the Virginia Tech Hokies at Lane Stadium on September 7, 2015 in Blacksburg, Virginia. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)

Ohio State is loaded again but they trail another Big Ten power when it comes to NFL talent

The Ohio State Buckeyes have a ton of talent but they trail another Big Ten rival on this particular list.

Urban Meyer and the Ohio State Buckeyes produced an NFL Draft class unlike virtually any other in history, but that does not mean that the cupboard is empty in Columbus. Chad Reuter of NFL.com broke down the 25 college teams with the most NFL talent for the 2016 season, and Ohio State fell at number seven overall.

The Buckeyes return just five starters from last year's team, and lost stars in running back Ezekiel Elliott and Joey Bosa. But Urban Meyer usually has a few tricks up his sleeve, as well as a wealth of talent from his annual top-five recruiting hauls. Barrett is among the top QBs to watch in CFB, and he could post huge numbers. The run game should be fine, thanks in part to the presence of Elflein (who is moving to center) and Price, and young linemen like Jamarco Jones, who are ready to step up. McMillan's the leader of the defense, which needs one badly considering the lack of experience in the back seven.

As noted above, Ohio State returns only five starters, but it helps to be working from a position of strength. The Buckeyes did lose five (!) first-round picks and 14 players overall to the draft, but players like J.T. Barrett and Raekwon McMillan are already household names, and Meyer has been famously dominant on the recruiting trail in recent seasons.

Unfortunately for fans of the Buckeyes, though, there is a familiar and hated rival sitting ahead of Ohio State on this particular list. Yes, the Michigan Wolverines come in at number six.

Wormley, Charlton and Ryan Glasgow make up a strong defensive line, which will only make the talented cornerback duo of Lewis and Clark better. Peppers has looked the part of a top-five national recruit so far, starring on offense, defense and special teams

Jim Harbaugh and company have also been lighting it up in recruiting lately, and the Wolverines have tremendous talent on board for 2016. Michigan doesn't have a settled quarterback situation in the way that Ohio State does, but Jabrill Peppers, Jake Butt and Jourdan Lewis look like first round picks in a future NFL Draft, and that is just the tip of the iceberg in Ann Arbor.

Because the two programs are side by side on this list, there is a bit of nitpicking involved in separating the two rosters. One thing is for sure, however, and that is the fact that the Big Ten's two flagship programs are loaded once again.