At this time last year, we had no idea what Ohio State's receivers would look like.
Following the 2016 season, Buckeyes lost their top three receivers – Curtis Samuel, Noah Brown and Dontre Wilson – and returned just three players who had over 100 total receiving yards in 2016, only one of which had over 200, and no scholarship seniors.
Optimists called Zone-6 "young," pessimists called it "depleted." Either way, Ohio State had a ton of production to make up and receivers room to fill, and it seemed like the Buckeyes were grasping at straws, with Brendon White and Eric Glover-Williams joining the receivers seemingly out of desperation.
A year later, wide receiver is one of the only positions there aren't question marks. Ohio State returns its top six receivers from last year after Parris Campbell, K.J. Hill, Terry McLaurin and Johnnie Dixon each mulled NFL decisions, but elected to return to school.
The six returning starters – none of which are converted safeties – each had at least 300 yards receiving during the 2017 season, led by Hill and Campbell who each had over 500.
With all of that returning production, the Buckeyes might now have the opposite problem they faced a year ago: a logjam.
The past two recruiting cycles, Ohio State has recruited like it has receiver positions to fill. The Buckeyes brought in three receivers in the 2017 class – though only two remain on the roster after the Trevon Grimes transfer – and four in the 2018 class.
Ohio State currently has six receivers with freshman or sophomore eligibility – eight if you include Jaelin Gill and Demario McCall who are most likely to see the field at the H-back position. No departures from the receivers room means those guys will likely have to wait another season to see meaningful action.
Players like Kamryn Babb and L'Christian "Blue" Smith, who likely would have pushed for early playing time any other season, will be hard-pressed to even crack the depth chart.
But when a logjam breaks, it breaks quickly.
Just like the Buckeyes return their top-six receivers this season, they might have to replace their top-six receivers next season. McLaurin, Campbell and Dixon will all graduate and Hill will be draft eligible along with Binjimen Victor and Austin Mack.
It's possible that at this time next year, Ohio State's receiver situation is even more uncertain than it was at this time last year. If all three upperclassmen declare for the draft, the Buckeyes would have six first-time first-team players to start the 2019 season.
But that's a bridge to cross another day.
For now, Zone-6 is loaded with proven playmakers with arsenal of promising talent waiting in the wings – and Buckeye fans should enjoy it.
