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College Football

Brian Hartline’s list checks out. But who is the next great Ohio State receiver?

Alex Hickey

By Alex Hickey

Published:

Over the years, I’ve had some misses when it comes to evaluating talent.

I’ve rarely been higher on a player than Michigan State’s Charles Rogers, whom I basically expected to be the first Larry Fitzgerald. Rogers remains perhaps the most dazzling college receiver I’ve seen in person, at least in an individual single-game performance.

Detroit Lions GM Matt Millen obviously thought something similar when he drafted Rogers 2nd overall in the 2002 NFL Draft.

The difference, of course, is Millen lost his job for thinking the same thing as me, a 20-year-old college student. Rogers was unfortunately bedeviled by injuries and off-field problems. He was out of the NFL in 3 years.

But thanks to Brian Hartline, I’ve regained trust in my eye for wide receivers.

Ohio State’s receivers coach recently ranked the top 5 wideouts he’s coached for the Buckeyes while a guest on the “Bussin With the Boys” podcast. And it felt pretty good to see Hartline’s list in the exact same order I have them: Marvin Harrison Jr., Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Garrett Wilson, Terry McLaurin, Chris Olave.

It’s like getting the same test score as the smartest kid in class.

Of course, the consistency of Ohio State’s receivers is the most impressive thing about what Hartline is doing in Columbus. At this point, the Buckeyes have a receiver assembly line.

Had Hartline been asked to make this list a year ago, Harrison wouldn’t be on it at all. A freshman with 1 great game to his name wasn’t going to jump Parris Campbell or even Jameson Williams.

Now Harrison is the top dog without much counter-argument.

And that brings us to the intriguing question that comes from Hartline’s list.

Who’s next?

With the Buckeyes breaking in a new quarterback in 2023, it’ll be imperative for a receiver to step up alongside Harrison. These are the guys who have a shot at becoming Ohio State’s next great receiver.

Jr. Emeka Egbuka

You can make a case that Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s nagging season-long injury was a blessing in disguise for the Buckeyes, because it facilitated the rise of Egbuka. (It’s probably not as compelling as the argument that Ohio State would have been unstoppable with all 3 receivers on the field, however.)

Egbuka, who had just 9 catches as a freshman stashed below Smith-Njigba, Wilson, Olave and Harrison, broke out in his sophomore season.

Though he was 2nd to Harrison in yardage, Egbuka’s 1,151 receiving yards were the 5th-most in Ohio State history for a single season. Another season like that is liable to vault him into Hartline’s coveted Top 5.

Redshirt Fr. Jayden Ballard

Ballard is on a similar path as Egbuka a year ago.

He played in 4 games, preserving a redshirt year. Though if he’s anything like those who came before him, that redshirt is never going to be utilized.

Ballard’s already been thrown into the fire, catching 2 passes for 14 yards in last year’s season opener against Notre Dame. He stood out in a blowout win over Toledo with 4 catches for 113 yards and a 72-yard touchdown. Ballard also added a 24-yard reception against Indiana.

Ballard is a burner who may well be Ohio State’s best downfield threat this season. The attention given to Harrison will certainly open ample opportunities.

Another detail not to be overlooked: Ballard has a second-team practice rapport with potential starting quarterback Kyle McCord. Both could have breakout seasons as a result.

Fr. Brandon Inniss

Veterans Xavier Johnson and Julian Fleming are more likely to have an impact for the 2023 Buckeyes than Inniss. The lone 5-star recruit in Ohio State’s incoming class won’t be enrolling until the summer, which puts him a step behind to start the season.

However, Inniss has the DNA to become the next great Ohio State wideout in 2024. And a June arrival isn’t going to inhibit that potential. He’s in regular video chats with Hartline even while finishing out his senior year at Florida’s American Heritage High.

“He’s been getting with Coach Hart and learning the offense,” Buckeyes coach Ryan Day said, per Cleveland.com. “We have a really good plan in place. Guys have to send us videos of their workouts. We have Zooms and different things when learning the offense, defense and special teams so when they get here, they’re not far behind.”

Precedent shows that plan works.

Like Inniss, Olave didn’t get to campus until the summer before his freshman season. He ended up getting on the field every game and caught 12 passes for 197 yards and 3 touchdowns.

By the next season, Olave was Ohio State’s top target. Ballard could potentially be that guy for the Buckeyes in 2024, but Inniss might not be far behind.

Alex Hickey

Alex Hickey is an award-winning writer who has watched Big Ten sports since it was a numerically accurate description of league membership. Alex has covered college football and basketball since 2008, with stops on the McNeese State, LSU and West Virginia beats before being hired as Saturday Tradition's Big Ten columnist in 2021. He is an Illinois native and 2004 Indiana University graduate.