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Binjimen Victor emerging as an all around threat for Ohio State

Garrett Kroeger

By Garrett Kroeger

Published:

There is no question who the Ohio State Buckeyes best wide receiver. It’s Parris Campbell.

Yes, Campbell has dropped some passes, but that should be correctable. His speed and impressive size should make him the go-to option for quarterback J.T. Barrett as the season progresses. However, that could change if Binjimen Victor continues to emerge.

Heading into game seven of 2017 on Saturday night against the Nebraska Cornhuskers on the road, Ohio State and coach Urban Meyer are starting to see Victor climb the leader toward becoming the go-to receiver the coaching staff and Buckeye fans have always thought he could be.

On Tuesday’s B1G coaches’ teleconference Meyer said that Victor’s ability to high-point a football rivals that of former Buckeye greats.

“I have not had many like that. I remember Cris Carter years and years ago, and Mike Thomas was good at going up and getting the ball,” Meyer said. “But this guy has just sheer size and wingspan and has great ball skills.”

Standing 6-foot-4 with a wingspan that looks like it belongs to a 7-footer, Victor is tailor-made for wide receiver. A member of the celebrated 2016 recruiting class, Victor played sparingly last season.

One year later, the Buckeyes have turned him loose. While Victor’s strength thus far in his career has been in the red zone–all five of his touchdowns have come at or inside of 25 yards–his emergence couldn’t have come a moment too soon.

Ohio State’s offense sputtered in the red zone in 2016 and during the start of 2017. But in the past three games,Victor has jumped over an opposing defensive back and caught a touchdown pass off the top of helmet, making it feel like the Buckeyes’ have found their remedy to struggling passing attack.

While Victor has primarily been a red zone threat thus far, he has shown life as a possible deep threat as well. Victor caught a 46-yard pass from Barrett, which marked a career-long, against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights.

Now, Victor is not Carter or Thomas. From 1984-86, Carter caught 168 passes for 2,725 yards and 27 scores while Thomas, caught 113 passes for 1,602 yards and 18 touchdowns from 2012-15. Victor will need to up his game if he wants to get to their levels. And if Victor wants to continue in taking the next step, the 6-foot-4, 195 pound listed receiver needs to become more physical according to Barrett.

Currently, Ohio State has a six-man rotation when it comes to its wide receiver position. In that rotation, Victor ranks fourth on the team in receptions with just 14, but is tied for second in touchdown receptions with four. That is clear improvement from his freshman year, but obviously not enough to crown him the next Carter or Thomas…yet.

“We have not even scratched the surface of his ability level,” Meyer said on Tuesday’s teleconference. “He has so much more left. We haven’t seen near the ceiling for what he has, ability wise. He is a great young man who is learning to work all the time and go all the time, but he is a very talented guy.”

Victor’s teammates have raved about his confidence in practice. And it’s starting to translate on the field. His teammate Austin Mack has described Victor as a ‘Human cheat code’. The reasoning behind calling Victor a cheat code is leaping catches he continues to make.

Is Victor a deep threat? Yes. Is he a red zone threat? Yes. Is the emerging receiver just a threat in general? Most definitely.

And while Meyer maybe the one who is starting the fire that comes with the Victor emergence hype, there is one thing for certain, Victor is doing more and more, and Ohio State is settling for fewer field goals.

Garrett Kroeger