The Ohio State receiver room has been loaded for what feels like a decade, thanks to the recruiting and developmental efforts of Brian Hartline. Before last year, the Buckeyes had to replace a first-round pick and a transfer. This Spring, the Buckeyes will have to replace an eventual first-round pick again. The difference is that this year, Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate have proven themselves to be one of the top receiving duos in the country.
All eyes will be on the battle for the next man up. The room is filled to the brim with four and five-star athletes fighting for the opportunity to prove themselves. All eyes will be on Smith, who is garnering some legitimate, way-too-early Heisman hype. Not to be overshadowed, Tate was a five-star recruit and led the Buckeyes in receiving three times, including in the Cotton Bowl win. Who takes Emeka Egbuka‘s place in the offense?
Which Ohio State Receiver Will Step up Behind the Established Stars This Spring
The Favorites
The overall feeling is that there are two receivers in the driver’s seat to be WR3: Brandon Inniss and Mylan Graham.
Statistically, Innis has the inside track, as he’s the only one with significant playing time. The true junior has appeared in 18 out of a possible 19 games in his two seasons in Columbus. As a true freshman, he logged 32 offensive snaps and caught one pass. That one pass was a 58-yard touchdown in the win over Purdue. Last year, his usage went up. In total, Inniss recorded 176 yards and one touchdown off 14 receptions and 195 offensive snaps. In the National Championship, he only recorded one catch. However, that one catch went for 19 yards on third and seven. That conversion kicked off a scoring drive that put Ohio State up, 21-7 in the second quarter.
All in all, Inniss hasn’t had the opportunity to unleash what he can do. He enrolled in the summer of 2023 and missed time last Spring, so he hasn’t had a normal Spring workout. He hasn’t shown that five-star-caliber athletic ability to this point. However, he’s primed for a breakout with two years of Hartline coaching.
Graham is another five-star recruit who could be that breakout performer in 2025. Like Inniss, he did not enroll early. However, Hartline has praised Graham for his ability to catch on and hit his stride as the season went on. The redshirt freshman did not record any receptions last year, but he appeared in two regular season games and the first two CFP matchups. He was one of just six receivers to play any snaps in the postseason.
He is a natural freak athlete with the versatility to line up in the slot as well as out wide. Ohio State could use that to their advantage. Imagine Graham out wide while lining Smith up in the slot against a linebacker. Unfair.
Next Men Up
Two returning receivers out-snapped Graham and could be jumped on the depth chart. Bryson Rodgers was the first receiver off the bench for the Buckeyes in 2024. With 164 snaps, Rodgers nearly doubled the participation of the next best player. He only hauled in five passes for 47 yards, but he began to show what he can bring to the table. Rodgers prides himself in his route running. He believes that he’s the best route runner in the country, and that will separate him from the rest. He can create those mismatches that allow him to separate from anywhere on the field.
Of the incoming freshmen, Quincy Porter may have the best shot to break through. The five-star recruit is enrolled and will be part of the Buckeyes’ Spring practice period, as are De’Zie Jones and Bodpegn Miller. Porter led his high school to a fourth consecutive state title off the back of a 57-catch, 969-yard, 11-touchdown senior campaign. Ryan Day has commented on Porter’s size, saying of the six-foot-three receiver, “I think Quincy really is a bigger receiver that is a different style than we’ve probably had.”
Porter has the size and the speed to, at the very least, fight to get onto the field in 2025. Day has praised Porter for his blocking ability as well. As a true freshman in a loaded receiver room, Porter will have to earn his keep as a blocker as the team runs out the clock at the end of games.
With Smith and Tate as the established stars of the room, there are plenty of snaps to be had. Don’t count out tight end transfer Max Klare, either. Hartline may look to get him more involved than tight ends have been in the past.
Main Image: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
