The 2024 Ohio State wide receiver is unproven and talented

For a while, Ohio State’s secondary was the primary source of pride for Buckeyes fans. Then, the secondary weakened a little, and Brian Hartline‘s efforts as a receiver’s coach began to pay off. The 2024 Ohio State front office is a bucket of wonder and hype with just one proven product.

Ohio State’s recruiting at the wide receiver position has arguably been unmatched over the last four or five years and the program has placed numerous players in the NFL. Over the last 10 NFL drafts, Ohio State has had 13 draft picks, including 10 in one of the first three rounds. Marvin Harrison, Jr. was the final talent in the first round. He was the fourth first-round pick in the last three years and the 12th in program history.

After sending out the highest scoring receiver in program history, Ohio State’s receiver room needs to reload again. There are many reasons to be optimistic when it comes to recruiting and expectations. At the same time, the main returning receiver behind the established senior at the top had 18 catches last year.

Ohio State’s 2024 receivers are untested and ready to step up

Projected starters

The undisputed leader of the group must be the incumbent for two years, Emeka Egbuka. Last year, the first-round draft pick was hampered by injuries and took a substantial step back from his stellar performance the year before. Egbuka could have joined Harrison in the NFL and declared and tested himself in first-round territory. He chose to return with unfinished business. With a strong season, Egbuka will finish with the Buckeyes’ career record for most receiving yards. In addition, KJ Hill‘s career receptions record is within reach. Even with the rest of the talent on the roster, the Buckeyes and Will Howard will look to Egbuka to lead the way.

A player expected to be great and could even become a leading receiver is none other than a true freshman, Jeremiah Smith. There have been a few freshmen in history who have left their mark for the Buckeyes. However, Smith has his eyes set on Chris CarterThe mark of 41 catches, 648 yards and eight touchdowns as a true freshman. If Ohio State’s top receivers have a year comparable to the unit’s in 2021, Smith could even end up with over 1,000.

Speaking of the 2021 offense, Ohio State was 64 yards away from having three 1,000-yard receivers. If Howard can make a move, Carnell Tate is on his way. Tate is another four-star receiver who had an opportunity to contribute last year while Egbuka battled injuries. He had 18 receptions, 264 yards and scored a touchdown in the win over Western Kentucky. Last year, he had the sixth-most receptions. With three of his predecessors no longer on the team, he is ready to make an impact.

Next The men at the top

The guy who will likely be the fourth receiver is probably redshirt junior Jayden Ballard. So far in his career, Ballard has been content to look outside. In three years, he recorded just nine catches for 159 yards and a touchdown. Last year, he was used primarily as a punt returner, as he did not record a single reception while returning nine punts. Ballard was a four-star recruit in the 2021 cycle and is finally looking to contribute. In a spring presser, Ryan Day hailed Ballard as “the fastest guy on the team.” Day also said the team needs him to step up in 2024.

Due to an injury in the spring, Brandon Inniss was unable to show what he brings to the team. As a five-star recruit in the class of 2023, expectations were high. Between him and Tate, it was going to be a race to see who would make an impact first. Tate of course won the first round. Inniss appeared in eight games for the Buckeyes and recorded just one catch. That catch, however, was a 58-yard touchdown as Ohio State put Purdue away. Once healthy, Inniss plans to be a part of Ohio State’s wide receiver rotation.

Maybe a wild card in the rotation will be a true five-star freshman, Mylan Graham. When Ohio State recruits multiple top receivers, the one with the lowest expectations seems to be the one that breaks out. Now with Smith, that could be reduced in 2024. However, Graham is not a receiver to overlook despite being one of the few not enrolling early. He was a five-star recruit for a reason and chose Ohio State over a handful of SEC programs. Allen Trieu of 247Sports compares Graham’s game to Lamb CeeDeeit will therefore be one to watch.

Waiting for their chance

With Kyion Grayes And Noah Rogers Arriving at the transfer gate, the rear of the reception room is bright. However, there are two highly touted receivers that provide depth for the Buckeyes.

After appearing in two games and recording no statistics as a true freshman, former four-star wide receiver Bryson Rodgers tested the transfer portal. After “finding clarity,” Rodgers decided to return to the Buckeyes. Harline and Day were able to talk him out of the portal and he will help round out Ohio State’s receiver unit. He’s a quick, slippery receiver and his counterpart, Tate, believes he has the best change-of-direction ability on the team. Rodgers came back because he wanted to feel valued. Given the depth of space, Day and Hartline will need to find ways to make sure he feels validated while ensuring the undisputed top talent gets on the field.

Kojo Antwi, not to be confused with the Ghanaian “Mr. Music Man”, is also waiting for his opportunity. In his first two seasons, Antwi appeared primarily on special teams in seven games. He appeared in two games last year, preserving his redshirt. In his recruiting class, Antwi was a top-20 receiver and had over 15 yards per reception during his high school career.

High expectations

The Ohio State receivers room has been one of the best in college football for some time. From Devin Smithcollege football playoff heroics at Chris Olave putting the team on its back against Michigan as a freshman, this unit has high expectations. Often, they are called upon to ensure the Buckeyes win. Harrison could have been considered the Buckeyes’ only offense on too many occasions last year.

For 2024, right now, there are a lot of unknowns. Assuming he’s healthy, Egbuka is going to lead the way, at least in terms of targets and receptions. Smith might just have the highest ceiling of them all and this season is just the beginning. Will Inniss or Graham be the next man up immediately?

The shoes to fill are huge. Under Hartline, Ohio State’s receiver room is expected to be elite. With an expected boost at quarterback, plus a serious one-two punch at running back, these receivers will get an opportunity to play. Egbuka has shown that he deserves respect. Who will benefit from the attention that Egbuka deserves?

We’re still a few months away from Week 1 against Akron, but it doesn’t hurt to dream about what could happen.