Position preview: 2 OSU WRS out in spring
Editor's note: In advance of spring practice at Ohio State, The Dispatch is previewing each of the Buckeyes' position groups. Today: Wide receiver.
The top of Ohio State's wide receiver depth chart is to be a little thinner in spring practice.
Coach Ryan Day said Emeka Egbuka and Julian Fleming will be among the players unavailable after undergoing undisclosed offseason procedures.
That leaves Marvin Harrison Jr. as the only returning starter who is expected to be a full participant for the 15 practices beginning March 7. But the limitations could help the Buckeyes to develop depth at the position.
Nine out of the 13 scholarship receivers are sophomores or freshmen in eligibility, and only one of them has played more than 24 snaps in his career.
That's Jayden Ballard, who caught eight passes for 155 yards and a touchdown as a redshirt freshman last fall. The Massillon native was a part of the same signing class as Egbuka and Harrison.
The group of underclassman receivers includes three freshmen who enrolled in January − Bryson Rodgers, Noah Rogers and Carnell Tate. Both Rogers and Tate were top-100 prospects. Brandon Inniss, a receiver from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, who was the Buckeyes' top-ranked signee in the 2023 cycle, does not enroll until June.
Ohio State receiver scholarship count
13: Xavier Johnson, Fleming, Egbuka, Harrison, Ballard, Kojo Antwi, Kaleb Brown, Caleb Burton, Kyion Grayes, Inniss, Rodgers, Rogers, Tate
Player to watch
A lot of reps in the slot will be up for
grabs with Egbuka sidelined. Expect a bulk to go to Johnson, a versatile former walk-on who filled in at the spot last season and returned for a sixth season of eligibility. But Brown is also someone to keep tabs on. According to data from Pro Football Focus, he lined up in the slot on 23 out of 24 snaps on offense last season. A former top-100 prospect from Chicago, he and Antwi did not redshirt as freshmen, carving out roles on special teams and late-game reserves.
Coach comment
“In the offseason program right now, you should be trying to impress your peers. Your peers know. Players know. By trying to impress your peers, that means everything, from being on time, if not early, to how you work, how you communicate, if you're up front. All those things matter.” — Offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach Brian
Hartline, on younger receivers pushing for playing time.
Key stat
97.7%: Percentage of the Buckeyes' returning pass-catching production among their wide receivers.
Final outlook
While a silver lining to Egbuka and Fleming being out for spring is the opportunity for less experienced receivers to pick up more reps, a downside remains that they won't have as much opportunity to build chemistry with Kyle Mccord or Devin Brown, who are competing for the starting quarterback job. But Egbuka and Fleming are savvy enough to make up for the lost time in summer throwing sessions or preseason practices. The Buckeyes are secure at receiver.