Up until Week 2 of last season, Xavier Johnson was a walk-on at Ohio State.
The Cincinnati native proved why he deserves to be on scholarship in the third quarter Saturday, as the fifth-year wideout stepped up to haul in a 24-yard go-ahead touchdown against Notre Dame. After the extra point, the score gave the Buckeyes a 14-10 lead with 17 seconds to go before the fourth quarter.
The moment Ohio Stadium was brought back to life. pic.twitter.com/TVRjxGrDOh
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) September 4, 2022
The score was Johnson's first ever in an Ohio State uniform, and it was also his first reception in general. Johnson has also played cornerback and running back for the Buckeyes, but impressed Brian Hartline and the OSU coaching staff to be among the top six wideouts at the start of the 2022 season.
Johnson's number was called in the second half of the season opener, as Jaxon Smith-Njigba was sidelined with an apparent leg injury suffered on a hit in the first quarter. Projected starter Julian Fleming was also unavailable for the Buckeyes after being listed as a game-time decision before kickoff.
