Ohio State has grow to be a gold mine for NFL scouts searching for elite huge receiver prospects. Prior to now 4 NFL drafts courting to 2022, 5 Buckeyes wideouts have been drafted within the first spherical. That is probably the most WRs to go in Spherical 1 from one faculty over a four-year interval since Alabama had 5 go between 2020-23, per ESPN Analysis.
The 2026 draft will add one other in Carnell Tate. He’s projected to be a top-10 choose and is arguably the WR1 within the class. And we should always have yet one more in 2027, when Jeremiah Smith is more likely to be a top-five choice and will even be the primary WR chosen No. 1 general since Keyshawn Johnson in 1996.
High quality huge receiver play is not new at Ohio State. Moreover latest non-first-round hits reminiscent of Michael Thomas (2016) and Terry McLaurin (2019), Buckeyes alums embrace Corridor of Famer Cris Carter, Joey Galloway, Tremendous Bowl XLIII MVP Santonio Holmes and Ted Ginn Jr. But it surely was this present run of extremely touted OSU receivers turning into high-end professionals that prompted me to return and have a look at our predraft notes on every participant and rank them based mostly on what they had been as prospects popping out of Columbus.
This is not taking NFL manufacturing or potential into consideration — solely the participant’s predraft report. However I additionally talked to a handful of NFL scouts, coaches and common managers to get their takes. I included my predraft rankings for the particular draft lessons they had been every in.
It ought to be no shock who’s on the prime (for now), however the remainder of the record is an enchanting and enjoyable have a look at Ohio State’s huge receiver pipeline. The place does Tate — who will work out on the Buckeyes’ professional day Wednesday — slot in? Might he be the subsequent nice OSU move catcher? Let’s rank him in opposition to the 5 latest first-rounders.
Soar to a receiver:Egbuka | Harrison | OlaveSmith-Njigba | Tate | Wilson
Predraft rating: No. 2 general, WR1Drafted: No. 4, Arizona Cardinals
Harrison was thought to be a generational expertise when he left Ohio State following a three-year profession during which he amassed 155 catches, 2,613 receiving yards and 31 touchdowns. After breaking out as a freshman with three touchdowns within the 2022 Rose Bowl, the 6-foot-3, 220-pound Harrison was a unanimous All-American as a sophomore and junior and gained the Biletnikoff Award in 2023. He was the primary non-quarterback chosen in 2024.
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Harrison was praised as an expert huge receiver with elite route working and powerful palms. There have been issues surrounding his lack of yards-after-catch capability, together with a predraft course of that noticed him sit out of conventional testing on the NFL mix and his professional day. However I noticed a WR with “glorious physique management, breakaway pace and a savvy understanding of the wideout place,” as I wrote in my last scouting report.
In his two seasons as a professional, Harrison has not but lived as much as his predraft expectations, catching simply 103 passes for 1,493 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns over that point. He missed 5 video games on account of a heel harm in 2025.
“I am shocked he isn’t an All-Professional but,” an AFC scout mentioned.
Predraft rating: No. 5 general, WR1Drafted: No. 20, Seattle Seahawks
I did not go along with the consensus previous to the 2023 draft, rating Smith-Njigba as my prime huge receiver — forward of Zay Flowers and Jordan Addison — and the No. 5 general participant on my board. My religion has paid off; JSN broke out as one of many league’s greatest receivers final season, main the NFL with 1,793 receiving yards. He had 119 catches and 10 touchdowns en path to NFL Offensive Participant of the 12 months honors. He was rewarded with a four-year, $168.6 million extension on Monday, the very best ever for a large receiver.
The 6-foot, 197-pounder was knocked by some evaluators as a “slot-only” prospect on account of his restricted dimension and common pace, however his capability to get open as a route runner stood out. I cherished his quickness out and in of his breaks and general physique management.
“He was probably the most polished receiver of the group [dating to 2022] and will educate a clinic on route working and leverage,” mentioned an NFL common supervisor.
Smith-Njigba jumped onto the draft radar as a sophomore in 2021, with 95 catches for 1,606 receiving yards and 9 touchdowns. That included seven video games with greater than 100 receiving yards and an unbelievable Rose Bowl efficiency in opposition to Utah during which he caught 15 passes for 347 yards and three touchdowns. Regardless of being restricted to a few video games in 2022 due to a hamstring harm, Smith-Njigba’s tape confirmed a well-rounded, do-it-all receiver prepared for the NFL. And that dominant Rose Bowl helped persuade scouts he was the game-changer that he turned out to be within the league.
Predraft rating: No. 12 general, WR3Drafted: No. 10, New York Jets
Wilson and teammate Chris Olave began the present run of celebrity Buckeyes receivers. The 6-foot, 183-pound Wilson wowed on the mix with a 4.38-second time within the 40-yard-dash that cemented his inventory as a top-15 prospect. It was the cherry on prime of three seasons in Columbus that noticed him emerge as an ace yards-after-catch participant with nice play energy on a smaller body. Wilson left Ohio State with 23 profession touchdowns, highlighted by a breakout junior season in 2021; he had 70 receptions for 1,058 receiving yards and 12 scores that 12 months regardless of sharing the goal load with Olave and Smith-Njigba.
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“Wilson could be WR2 on my private board based mostly on predraft rankings … he was so good at 50-50 balls and fought his butt off with the ball in his palms. You do not see many smaller guys do this,” an NFC South scout mentioned.
Wilson ripped off three straight 1,000-yard seasons for the Jets to start out his profession. In 2024, he hauled in 101 passes for 1,104 receiving yards and 7 touchdowns, however he missed 9 video games in 2025 on account of a hyperextended knee in October and a sprain to that knee in November.
Present rating: No. 9 general, WR2Best crew suits: New York Giants, Kansas Metropolis Chiefs, Miami Dolphins
Like a number of receivers on this record, Tate was by no means the No. 1 goal in Columbus. Even in his last season, he was the secondary possibility behind Jeremiah Smith. However he has been capable of impress in a No. 2 position along with his routes, toughness and talent to play above the rim.
“You watch his route working and his physique management, and inform me that is not Justin Jefferson at LSU,” mentioned an NFC space scout.
Tate wins like Jefferson does — with timing, physique management and fast cuts that enable him to separate with or with out the ball. The 6-foot-2, 192-pound Tate performs a lot greater than his listed dimension, too.
“He high-points so properly. The primary time I noticed him play I assumed he have to be 6-foot-4 along with his size and vertical capability,” mentioned the identical scout.
Tate’s robust palms are a résumé trait. He had just one drop on 67 targets final season, ending with 51 catches for 875 receiving yards and 9 touchdowns in 11 video games. He’s a possible top-10 choose within the upcoming draft and will go as excessive as No. 5 general to the Giants.
Predraft rating: No. 15 general, WR4Drafted: No. 11, New Orleans Saints
I take into account Olave a private miss, as I had him decrease in my predraft rankings than most. He examined a lot better than I anticipated on the 2022 mix, highlighted by his 4.39 40-yard sprint. At 6-foot, 187 kilos, Olave was seen by scouts as an NFL-ready route runner with good vertical pace and exceptionally easy actions all through the route tree.
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The knock on Olave on the time was how a lot area was afforded to receivers in Ohio State’s scheme. However he scored 35 touchdowns in 4 seasons with the Buckeyes, and he had three years of greater than 700 receiving yards and a minimum of 49 catches.
“I did not assume [Olave] was powerful sufficient to hold with NFL corners,” an AFC East scout mentioned — a sentiment that matches my predraft notes.
Olave rapidly made his mark in New Orleans, although. In 4 NFL seasons, he has caught 291 passes for 19 touchdowns and is coming off his greatest season in 2025 (100 catches, 1,163 receiving yards and 9 scores). My colleague Mel Kiper Jr. really has Tate becoming a member of Olave in New Orleans in his latest 2026 mock draft.
Predraft rating: No. 23 general, WR4Drafted: No. 19, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Egbuka left Ohio State after 4 seasons, three of which he served because the crew’s No. 2 huge receiver. He was broadly praised by scouts within the predraft course of for his toughness, management and team-first mentality. A captain for the Buckeyes’ 2024 nationwide championship squad, Egbuka was fearless over the center and in site visitors regardless of being simply 6-foot-1 and 202 kilos. And like lots of the receivers on this record, he was a elegant route runner with certain palms.
In three years as a starter, he produced two seasons with greater than 1,000 receiving yards and had 24 touchdowns on 196 catches.
“He was one in every of my favourite gamers to observe final 12 months,” an NFL common supervisor mentioned. “I used to be pissed when he went to Tampa as a result of it is such an awesome match for his expertise.”
Egbuka produced instantly as a rookie, with 63 receptions for 938 receiving yards and 6 touchdowns. With Mike Evans signing with the 49ers as a free agent this offseason, Egbuka is on monitor to be the Buccaneers’ No. 1 receiver in 2026.
