Ohio State's dominant receiver run is showing no signs of slowing down
Ohio State’s dominance in recruiting wide receivers has been so great, so impressive, that the Buckeyes’ numbers are even hard to believe.
And it could continue to be a snowball effect in recruiting that only continues to build on itself and help get the Big Ten powerhouse back to another national title.
The Buckeyes were oh-so-close this past season to toppling Georgia and going to the championship and their receivers played a big role. It might only get better in Columbus.
GORNEY'S PREDICTIONS: Where will the top 10 uncommitted QBs land? | RBs | WRs | TEs | OL | DEs | DTs | LBs | DBs | ATHs
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Over the last five recruiting classes including this one, Ohio State has landed six five-star receivers. The rest of college football has gotten 11.
The only other program with multiple five-stars during that stretch has been Texas A&M with Evan Stewart, who led the team in receptions and yards last season, and Demond Demas, who no longer plays for the Aggies due to off-the-field issues.
Alabama, Arizona, Florida State, Maryland, Missouri, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Texas and USC have also signed a five-star receiver but in the case of the Crimson Tide (Aaron Anderson), the Irish (Jordan Johnson) and the Sooners (Mario Williams) those players have transferred elsewhere.
What makes Ohio State’s run even more impressive is that some of its elite receivers were under-ranked coming out of high school.
Marvin Harrison Jr. should have absolutely been a five-star recruit knowing what we know now. An argument could be made for some others on the list including new pledge Mylan Graham and 2023 signee Noah Rogers.
If the 2019 class was included in this list, Garrett Wilson and Jameson Williams were four-stars but should have been fives. Chris Olave was a rankings miss and would have been another one who was a first-round NFL Draft pick and should have been much higher in the 2018 class.
This success starts from former coach Urban Meyer developing early relationships, from coach Ryan Day fostering them and bringing them to the finish line and from position coach Brian Hartline being one of the best recruiters and coaches in the game.
“We’re all great players and we all chose Ohio State, there’s a reason why,” Smith said recently at the OT7 Phoenix.
“Why not pick Ohio State as a receiver? You have the best receivers coach in the nation coaching you. You see what they’ve done with Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, you see what they’re doing with Marvin Harrison, Emeka [Egbuka], [Jaxon Smith-Njigba].
That’s the reason why I chose Ohio State, because the development they’ve had the last couple years. Coach Hartline as a person and coach Ryan Day and really the whole Ohio State coaching staff stands out.”
And Ohio State should have even more recruiting firepower after the upcoming NFL Draft. Quarterback CJ Stroud could be the first overall pick. Smith-Njigba could be the first receiver taken if not TCU’s Quentin Johnson. Offensive linemen Paris Johnson Jr. and Dawand Jones should come off early.
The rich are only getting richer.