Ohio State’s 2025 season came to an abrupt end due to its special teams woes. The Buckeye placekicker Jayden Fielding, who has put up impressive numbers overall, failed to deliver in clutch moments yet again. Now, looking for a chance in the pros, Fielding used OSU’s Pro Day to impress NFL teams in attendance.

During his outing, Fielding reportedly did what he couldn’t in the Big Ten Championship game and the playoff loss to Miami. He made field goals from 55-yard and 60-yard ranges. That is longer than any FG he made at OSU over his three seasons. In fact, his career high is 49 yards, and he achieved that last season.

The Pro Day performance, unfortunately, gives us a chance to revisit his misses two months ago. Late in the fourth quarter against Indiana, Fielding missed a 27-yard field goal. With OSU trailing 13–10, the short kick would have tied the game. But he missed, and as a result, Indiana held on to win 13–10, handing the No. 1-ranked OSU their first loss of the season.

Following that, in the CFP Quarterfinal against Miami, he missed a 49-yard field goal. With that, OSU lost 24–14 to Miami in the Cotton Bowl, sparking public criticism of the Buckeyes’ kicking consistency. But that’s not all: in 2024, his two missed field goals against Michigan cost OSU the game. Now, while he wants to continue his football career and make sure he is drafted, Fielding is showing off his potential to scouts.

Though last season Fielding recorded a total of 104 points and successfully converted 16 of 20 field goal attempts. More importantly, he recorded 13 points against Ohio, going 3-for-3 on FGs and 4-for-4 on extra points. Then against Indiana, he converted 1 of 2 field goal attempts and 1 extra point. In fact, against Miami, he made 2 extra points.

Still, if one team drafted Fielding only depending on his collegiate stats, that would be shocking. Because he didn’t attempt more than 20 FGs in any single season at OSU, and perhaps that’s why the Buckeyes are ready to have him gone, bringing in transfer kicker Connor Hawkins from Baylor. In fact, analysts view Ryan Day’s move to recruit the new OSU kicker as a direct effort to fix a long-standing special teams deficiency.

Did the OSU player truly miss big moments?

Ryan Day’s decision to stick with Jayden Fielding over the last three seasons ultimately cost the Buckeyes. Although the former OSU kicker’s overall numbers suggested reliability, the timing of his misses often told a different story. However, the pattern became most noticeable in domed stadium appearances, where he converted just four of 7 FG attempts.

Three of the 4 games in which he attempted kicks indoors resulted in losses, including a setback against Missouri in the 2023 Cotton Bowl. In a low-scoring 14-3 loss, he provided OSU’s only points with a 44-yard FG but later missed a 48-yard attempt that hit the left upright. And the other three came in 2025 against Notre Dame, Indiana, and Miami.

However, the only exception came during OSU’s national title victory over the Irish in 2024. In that game, he made two FGs, 46 yards and 33 yards, but his kicks arrived with the Buckeyes already controlling the game, holding a 28-7 lead and later a 31-23 lead. Considering that, Fielding is largely viewed as an undrafted free agent. But after his Pro Day performance, his NFL fate could turn.