The Hurry-Up: Four-Star 2026 Wide Receiver Donovan Murph Says Getting an Offer from Ohio State is “A Blessing” and Buckeyes Are in His Top Three Schools

By Garrick Hodge on September 2, 2024 at 5:30 pm
Donovan Murph
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Brian Hartline has offered another notable wide receiver prospect in the 2026 class.

Four-star South Carolina wideout Donovan Murph made the trek to Columbus Saturday for the Buckeyes’ season opener against Akron and came away impressed by what he saw from OSU’s wide receiver group. 

“It was a great visit,” Murph told Eleven Warriors Sunday. “I’m glad I went. What stood out to me a lot was the receiver room and how efficient it was, it’s not just one person. That’s one thing I really look for, a competitive room. I don’t want to play just because I was good in high school, I want to work for everything I get. I see that type of mentality at Ohio State. I love the transparency with coach Hartline, I can appreciate that, he’s a straight up coach and will tell it like it is. That’s something I look for.”

One day later, Hartline offered the 6-foot-2, 180-pound Murph. Murph has nearly 30 Division I offers, a list that includes Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Colorado, Duke, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Miami, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Oregon, Penn State, Tennessee and Wisconsin. 

“It’s a blessing to say the least,” Murph said of his OSU offer. “It was awesome to be there and get the offer from a school that I’ve been watching ever since I was a kid. (Hartline) said he doesn’t just offer anybody so there’s definitely a reason why he offered me. He just said I fit the mold and he wanted to build a relationship with me and my family. It definitely meant a lot that I came to see him. He knows Ohio State is a place that I want to be.” 

Following the offer, Murph said he can’t help but be intrigued by the Buckeyes and said they’ve “definitely put themselves in the top three” of his recruitment. 

“Just the long line of receivers that have done it and been through it,” Murph said of the most appealing thing about potentially playing for Ohio State. “Guys like Marvin Harrison Jr., even going back to Cris Carter. Those receivers have all been there and turned the corner, just their tradition of receivers if I was able to be a part of that, it would be a blessing.” 

Murph picked an interesting game to watch as a wide receiver recruit, as he had a front-row seat to Jeremiah Smith’s six-catch, 92-yard, two-touchdown performance in the 52-6 win over Akron. 

“I’ve been watching him since high school so seeing what he was able to do as a freshman is just crazy to see,” Murph said. “It’s something I know I’d be able to do as a freshman if I just put the work in and just keep grinding.” 

Last season, Murph caught 57 passes for 1,084 yards and 17 touchdowns. 

“My speed and my ability to create separation at a high level,” Murph said of his strongest on-field attributes. “I don’t think I’m just one-dimensional, I can play inside or outside and that’s one thing a lot of coaches like about my game, I can be used anywhere and I can learn everything pretty fast. My speed, my route running, my ability to know where to sit down in the zones, that’s what really stands out about my game.” 

Murph said he plans on attending another game at OSU sometime this fall and has the Buckeyes “on official visit watch” for a school he’d like to visit next summer. He added he hopes to be committed by the start of his senior season. 

“I want to be at a place that develops me as a player and a young man as well,” Murph said about the biggest factors in his recruitment. “Just somewhere like what coach Hartline said, I fit the mold and they check all the boxes for me. Somewhere where I can be developed and turn into an NFL receiver, not just getting to the league but have longevity.” 

Reed Gerken to visit OSU this weekend

A promising in-state offensive lineman has confirmed he’s attending Ohio State’s Week 2 matchup against Western Michigan.

Perrysburg offensive tackle Reed Gerken announced his visit plans on social media Monday. The 6-foot-5, 290-pound tackle could be a promising prospect in the class of 2027. He has five offers thus far, all from MAC schools, but that should change quickly as he continues to develop.

Social media reaction to Phillip Bell’s commitment

In case you were sleeping late Saturday evening, Ohio State’s 2025 class grew by one as four-star California wideout Phillip Bell committed to the Buckeyes. 

Bell became the fourth wideout in the 2025 cycle as OSU continues to boast the No. 1 recruiting class in the country. Following the commitment, several OSU staffers and fellow commits reacted on social media to celebrate the commitment. We rounded up a few of their reactions here.

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