The 2024 season will be the first for Ohio State that they have not had Marvin Harrison Jr. to rely on. Fortunately, the Buckeyes are in a good spot following Harrison moving into the NFL.
Will Howard is expected to be the starter at quarterback and he is going to have a solid group of running backs and wide receivers around him to succeed with. As it has often been the case for Brian Hartline as the wide receiver coach, new guys will have to step up.
Who is going to do the heavy lifting for Ohio State at wide receiver?
- WR Emeka Egbuka
- WR Carnell Tate
- WR Brandon Inniss
- WR Jeremiah Smith
The mix of experience and youth bodes well for the room in Columbus. Emeka Egbuka is the leader on paper with a ton of last production for the Buckeyes. Egbuka can be a big issue from the slot and can even work in the jet sweep game. He is the player that has been in the program the longest with the most playing time. Sophomores Carnell Tate and Brandon Inniss are expected to factor in after having very limited roles for the Buckeyes last season.
Freshman Jeremiah Smith is ready for a role from Day 1 for the Buckeyes and that is not something we have seen much in Columbus. Smith has a chance to be a much bigger factor from the get-go than Harrison Jr., Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, or Jaxon Smith-Njigba ever were.
Smith’s ceiling is to be the top wideout for Ohio State in his freshman season and he should be no lower than fourth in production. Hartline’s room has a few NFL guys ready to put up numbers in 2024.
Looking into the depth the Buckeyes have
- WR Jayden Ballard
- WR Bryson Rodgers
- WR Mylan Graham
- WR Kojo Antwi
Ballard is a former four-star recruit who has been in Columbus for three seasons. Ballard has been used in the return game but doesn’t have much production at Ohio State. His speed is evident, but he has been unable to crack the rotation much. This could be a season where the Buckeyes rely on their top four guys the most and the depth takes a backseat.
Rodgers and Antwi both have a season in Columbus and could factor into some late-game rotations, especially early in the season. Graham is a freshman who was a five-star recruit but did not early enroll for Ohio State. The talent is there for him to battle for a depth spot this fall.
Closing thoughts
Ohio State has as talented of a wide receiver room as they have had in Columbus even if it is a bit unproven. By the end of the season, a couple of these guys will be much bigger names on the college football landscape. The Buckeyes need Egbuka to stay healthy in 2024 to reach their full potential.
Related: Buckeyes may have best running back duo in college football, but concerns exist deeper than that
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