Bryson Rodgers always dreamed of playing football for Ohio State.
On Wednesday, that dream became a reality, as the Zephyrhills, Florida resident born in Warren, Ohio, signed his National Letter of Intent and officially accepted his scholarship offer from the Buckeyes.
Blink and you will miss him.The kid from Warren, OH is due for a homecoming. Always been about the scarlet & grey from the start, hes ready to leave his mark as one of the best from the Buckeye state to do it. Welcome to The Brotherhood Bryson Rodgers#CHO23N | @IBryson13 pic.twitter.com/E1rGRr6R1c
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) December 21, 2022
“I’ve been rocking the Ohio State jersey since I was three,” Rodgers told Eleven Warriors earlier this year. “Seeing the smiles on my parents’ faces as well knowing they grew up Ohio State fans themselves, so envisioning their son playing for Ohio State being the diehard fans they are is awesome. Making them proud is my biggest accomplishment, in my opinion.”
The Rodgers File
- Class: 2023
- Size: 6-0 /175
- Pos: Wide receiver
- School: Wiregrass Ranch (Zephyrhills, Florida)
- Composite Rating: ★★★★
- Composite Rank: #324 (#45 WR)
Rodgers chose the Buckeyes over Alabama and Georgia, the two schools that landed in his top three along with Ohio State, after visits to Columbus for a spring practice and the team's spring game on April 16. He said the atmosphere surrounding the Buckeyes and his relationship with receivers coach Brian Hartline were the primary reasons he chose to continue his football career while wearing the scarlet and gray.
“One thing I love about coach Hartline and Ohio State is he doesn’t take any portal receivers. I don’t know if anybody in college football realizes that, but Coach Hartline is big on not taking any portal guys because he believes in the guys in his room that he’s trusted from years before,” Rodgers said. “That just shows again how great of a guy he is and how much he believes in his players.”
Rodgers believes he can excel under Hartline's tutelage as the No. 324 overall prospect and No. 25 receiver in the 2023 class, according to the 247Sports composite rankings. He hopes to develop under the coach that has helped send former Buckeyes like Terry McLaurin, Parris Campbell, Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson and soon Jaxon Smith-Njigba to the NFL can do that same for him after his time at Ohio State comes to an end.
While Rodgers' statistics at Wiregrass Ranch don't immediately pop off the page, many experts in the recruiting industry have tossed that up to the lack of college-level talent surrounding Rodgers in his team's shotgun-based spread attack.
In 2021, Rodgers posted respectable numbers for the Bulls, collecting 42 receptions for 645 yards and 17 touchdowns in 10 games. However, his production took a significant step backward as a senior in 2022, as he only recorded 21 catches for 270 yards and five touchdowns in eight contests as a wide receiver and defensive back for a 4-6 Wiregrass team.
Still, Rodgers' 6-foot, 175-pound frame, combined with speed, quickness and a diverse route tree, will allow him to make a more substantial impact in the box score while playing for the Buckeyes.
Of the skills mentioned, Rodgers' route running is what sets him apart from other receiver prospects. It's why Alabama head coach Nick Saban, Georiga head coach Kirby Smart and later Hartline each attended a game to watch the coveted receiver prospect. From bubble screens to posts, corners, fly routes and whatever other routes a coach may ask him to run, Rodgers is one of, if not the most, polished route runners in the entire class.
For Rodgers to display those skills at the collegiate level, though, he will need to make strength and conditioning coach Mickey Marotti and the weight room at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center two of his best friends once he arrives in Columbus, as his 175-pound frame could benefit from more healthy weight.
After adding muscle mass and learning how to establish a presence as a blocker on the outside, Rodgers has a chance to emerge as a hidden gem in the class and become a bonafide playmaker during his time as a Buckeye, likely making his more immediate contributions in the team's quick passing game before expanding his impact in later years.
