Jack Sawyer and Emeka Egbuka made quite the first impressions.
On a team stacked with talent, it was two early enrollee players who stole the show during Ohio State's spring game on Saturday, with Sawyer leading the way defensively with four sacks and Egbuka leading a stacked wide receivers unit with six catches for 123 yards.
For the two highest-rated members of Ohio State's vaunted 2021 recruiting class, it was quite a debut.
Sawyer and Egbuka's numbers weren't just impressive for early enrollees playing in a Buckeye uniform for the first time, they were among the most impressive spring game performances in recent memory.
Here's a look back at how they compare to the top performers in spring games since Urban Meyer was hired ahead of the 2012 season.
2012
- Michael Thomas – 12 receptions for 131 yards
- Ryan Shazier – 9 total tackles, 1 sack
After a year-long stint in junior college, Michael Thomas joined the Buckeyes and put up massive numbers in his first spring game, totaling 131 yards on 12 receptions – topping Egbuka's stellar debut performance, though Thomas was an entire year ahead of Egbuka's current pace.
Thomas' showing didn't necessarily translate to early success, however, as he caught just three passes for 22 yards in his first season in Columbus and redshirted his next season.
As for the defense, nobody really put up eye-popping numbers in this game, but after a fantastic freshman season, Ryan Shazier picked up right where he left off and led the team with nine tackles and a sack, though that obviously doesn't touch Sawyer's numbers.
2013
- Michael Thomas – 7 catches, 79 yards, 1 touchdown
- Devin Smith – 5 catches, 76 yards, 1 touchdown
- Evan Spencer – 3 catches, 76 yards
- Adolphus Washington – 5 total tackles, 4 sacks
- Noah Spence – 4 total tackles, 3 sacks
Three receivers put on a show during the 2013 spring game with Michael Thomas, Devin Smith and Evan Spencer each racking up more than 75 yards receiving. Thomas was the leader of the group with seven catches for 79 yards and a touchdown, but that would be all Thomas contributed to the Buckeyes this year, as he took a redshirt during the 2013 season.
It was a solid all-around showing for the receivers, but Egbuka's performance was better, at least in terms of yardage.
Sawyer is not the only five-star defensive end to put up massive sack numbers in a spring game; one-time five-star prospects Adolphus Washington and Noah Spence put on a show in 2013, combining for seven sacks. Washington – playing defensive end before he moved to defensive tackle during the 2014 season – led the way with four sacks while Spence had three.
Washington's four sacks highlighted the best spring game performance from a pass-rusher since Urban Meyer took over at Ohio State, and Sawyer tied those numbers as an early enrollee.
2014
- Corey Smith – 5 catches for 72 yards
- Michael Thomas – 6 catches for 64 yards
- Tyquan Lewis – 5 total tackles, 2 sacks
- Rashad Frazier – 2 total tackles, 2 sacks
As far as standout performances go, the 2014 spring game was pretty much a letdown all around, which is hilarious in hindsight, given what transpired a few months later.
Michael Thomas – who might be one of the most consistent spring game playmakers of all time – and Corey Smith led the way on offense with Thomas hauling in six catches for 64 yards and Smith pulling down five for 72 yards. Obviously, Egbuka nearly had as many yards receiving as those two combined.
There wasn't really a standout performer on defense, either, with Tyquan Lewis and Rashad Frazier each posting two sacks, but Sawyer had as many sacks in his debut spring game as they did combined.
2015
- Corey Smith – 6 catches, 174 yards, 2 touchdowns
- Nick Conner – 7 total tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 1 forced fumble, 1 interception
After a spring game devoid of standout performances, the 2015 spring game more than made up for it with Corey Smith and Nick Conner absolutely putting on a show.
Smith had what might be the best spring game receiving performance to date, finishing the day with six catches for an eye-popping 174 yards and two touchdowns. Smith's stellar spring game didn't lead to breakout success, however, as he had just 11 catches for under 100 yards and no touchdowns the rest of his Buckeye career.
Similarly, Conner had one of the most dominant spring game performances on the defensive side of the ball, finishing the game with seven total tackles, one tackle for loss, a forced fumble and an interception. Unfortunately for Conner, multiple knee injuries derailed his career as he played in just one game with the Buckeyes, posting three total tackles.
2016
- Torrance Gibson – 6 catches, 50 yards, 2 touchdowns
- Malik Hooker – 2 interceptions, 82 yards, 1 touchdown
- DaVon Hamilton – 3 sacks
- Jashon Cornell – 2 sacks, 3.5 tackles for loss
There were a couple of standout performances in the 2016 spring game, but perhaps the most iconic was Torrance Gibson.
Gibson, one of the top dual-threat quarterbacks in the 2015 class, was one of the most hyped players Urban Meyer signed at Ohio State, but the 2016 spring game was the only time Buckeye fans ever got to see him on the field.
Switching from quarterback to receiver (with the intention to switch back once J.T. Barrett graduated, of course), Gibson hauled in six catches for 50 yards and two touchdowns.
On the other side of the ball, Malik Hooker stole the show with two interceptions, one of which he took 82 yards for a touchdown. Unlike Gibson, however, Hooker's performance was a sign of things to come.
It's tough to compare a pick-six and an interception to Sawyer's four sacks, but DaVon Hamilton and Jashon Cornell are fine comparisons, posting three sacks and two sacks.
2017
- Johnnie Dixon – 6 catches, 108 yards, 2 touchdowns
- Justin Hilliard – 7 tackles and a tackle for loss
There weren't a lot of standout performers in the 2017 spring game, either, but Johnnie Dixon certainly fit the bill. A former top-100 recruit, Dixon spent most of his first three seasons dealing with nagging injuries, namely tendonitis in his knees.
Finally healthy for really the first time in his Buckeye career, Dixon showed out in the 2017 spring game, flashing for 108 yards and two touchdowns on six catches. Egbuka had more yards on the same number of receptions, but Dixon's two touchdowns topped Egbuka's none.
On the defensive side of the ball, nobody really flashed, though Justin Hilliard also had a nice breakout spring game after a career mired by injuries, leading the team with seven tackles, one of which was for a loss.
For both Hilliard and Dixon, it was a sign of what was to come as they both successfully overcame their injuries and made an impact for the Buckeyes late in their careers.
2018
- Demario McCall – 11 catches for 165 yards, 2 touchdowns
- Chase Young – 1 sack
The 2018 spring game was the legendary duel between Dwayne Haskins and Joe Burrow, both of whom had a fine performance, but it was Demario McCall who stole the show.
Playing for both teams and catching passes from both quarterbacks, McCall had arguably the top receiving performance in a spring game in recent memory, hauling in 11 passes for 165 yards and two touchdowns.
For McCall, the spring game performance was not a sign of what was to come, however, as he hasn't had more than nine catches in a single season – much less a game – since that 11-catch performance in the spring game, and he's now playing cornerback.
It was a fairly rough day all around for the defense with the offenses combining for over 50 points. The only stat even worth mentioning from that side of the ball was Chase Young's lone sack on Dwayne Haskins.
2019
- Jaelen Gill – 7 catches for 95 yards
- Jahsen Wint – 2 interceptions, 4 total tackles
- Tyreke Smith – 4 tackles, 1.5 sacks
The 2019 spring game was Buckeye fans' first look at Justin Fields in an Ohio State uniform. It definitely didn't go as smoothly as it could have, with Fields finishing just 4-for-13 passing, but there was at least one standout player on offense as Jaelen Gill hauled in seven catches for 95 yards.
Gill's spring game performance didn't really translate to much production the following season as he finished the 2019 season with just six catches for 51 yards and a touchdown and transferred to Boston College the following offseason.
On the defensive side of the ball, Jahsen Wint led the way on defense with two interceptions. Wint is no longer with the team following a rape charge in February 2020.
In a performance more comparable to Sawyer's, Tyreke Smith led the way among pass-rushers, finishing with four tackles, 1.5 of which were for a loss.
Sawyer and Egbuka's performances were some of the best in recent Ohio State spring game history and though some others might have topped them, Sawyer and Egbuka did it as early enrollees who could still be in high school, putting them in a class of their own.
