Chris Olave did it in 2019. Garrett Wilson followed suit in 2020.
In the nation's most loaded wide receiver room, it's going to be difficult for some five-star caliber players to see the field. Brian Hartline has an absurd amount of weapons at his disposal as the Buckeyes have added three more talented wideouts to a room that was already the deepest in the country. The unexpected return of Chris Olave is great news for Ohio State's next quarterback, but it also presents even more of a challenge for the young wideouts.
A more normal offseason and a full slate of games will give the receivers more of a chance to show what they can do. The loss of Luke Farrell could also lead to fewer two-tight end sets, opening up more opportunities for the other pass-catchers. Of course, so much of this is going to depend on whether it's C.J. Stroud, Jack Miller, or Kyle McCord under center and how the new starter clicks with his receivers.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Julian Fleming, Gee Scott Jr., and Mookie Cooper were Hartline's newcomers last year. Cooper has since transferred to Missouri. Scott saw the field for 14 snaps but didn't record any stats. Fleming caught seven passes on the season with four of those coming while filling in for Olave against Northwestern. But after a freshman campaign that saw him on the field for 163 snaps in a shortened season, it's Smith-Njigba who seems the most likely to break out in 2021.
| YEAR | RECEPTIONS | YARDS | TD | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chris Olave | 2019 (13 games) | 49 | 849 | 12 |
| Garrett Wilson | 2020 (8 games) | 43 | 723 | 6 |
| Garrett Wilson | 2020 (13-game projection) | 70 | 1,175 | 10 |
It shouldn't be a surprise that the Texan was a bit more game-ready than his five-star counterpart. Smith-Njigba played in a receiver-friendly offense in the country's most talent-rich state. Fleming has been blessed with a 6-foot-3 frame and all kinds of athleticism, but he comes from a small Pennsylvania program that emphasizes the ground game. Both should be stars in Columbus, but Smith-Njigba arrived with a bit more polish to his game.
The 2019 season saw sophomore Chris Olave serve as Ohio State receiving yardage and touchdown leader with 849 and 12. That all came after he made a splash in the latter part of his true freshman season. Garrett Wilson arrived as a five-star back in 2019, and it didn't him long at all to make an impact. As a sophomore in 2020, Wilson went for 723 yards and six scores in just eight games. The duo will form the nation's best one-two punch in 2021.
But it's that No. 3 option that's a bit up in the air. Jeremy Ruckert will be one of the country's best tight ends, but the position simply doesn't get enough targets to put up prolific numbers. Jameson Williams is likely Hartline's fastest wideout, and he's sure to hit on a number of splash plays. Then there are about a half dozen youngsters that will all be fighting to earn their shot. Behind the three upperclassmen, it was Smith-Njigba who led all wideouts in snaps and receptions; and that included being scratched for the game against Northwestern.
Is it fair to expect a sophomore season anything like what we saw from Olave and Wilson? Probably not. Back in 2019, Olave's pass-catching competition included guys like K.J. Hill, Binjimen Victor, and Austin Mack. For Wilson's sophomore season, he was clearly option 1B to Olave's 1A while most of the other options were either true freshmen or tight ends.
And then there's that whole Justin Fields thing. The last two seasons saw Buckeye pass-catchers benefit from one of the greatest quarterbacks the program has ever seen. With Fields now off to the NFL, there are plenty of questions as to what the offense will look like in 2021. Will Ryan Day lean a bit more on the ground game with Master Teague and some talented youngsters? Or will he let his new quarterback sling the ball all over the place to the country's best wide receiver room?
Even with a limited role and modest stat line — 10 catches for 49 yards and a score — Jaxon Smith-Njigba appeared to be the most game-ready of the star-studded 2020 wide receiver haul. Ryan Day, Brian Hartline, and Justin Fields all showed confidence and trust in the six-foot, 197-pounder, and it went beyond the circus catch in his debut against Nebraska. In January's College Football Playoff, Fields connected with the freshman on a key third down that helped to give the Buckeyes their first lead against Clemson.
Olave's return will once again make it a challenge for the rest of the wideouts to carve out a role. But there also could be a bit more of a rotation on the outside with Jameson Williams, and Garrett Wilson could once again man the slot or move back to the outside. The bottom line is that Hartline is going to have about 10 guys that are all fighting for playing time. Ideally, games against Tulsa and Akron will allow some of the younger players to showcase their skills.
It's unfair to expect Smith-Njigba to live up to the sophomore surges that both Olave and Wilson delivered. The depth chart and a new quarterback should make that a tall task. But if the targets get spread out a bit more than what we saw in 2020, he could be in a position to put up some solid numbers even as Ohio State's No. 3 pass-catcher.
