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Jaxon Smith-Njigba injury paves way for young receivers to emerge

On3-Social-Profile_GRAYby:On3 Staff Report•09/06/22
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Emeka Egbuka of the Ohio State Buckeyes runs with the ball during the second quarter of a game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Ohio Stadium on Sept. 3, 2022 in Columbus, Ohio. (Ben Jackson / Getty Images)

When former Ohio State receivers Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave went back-to-back with picks No. 10 and No. 11 in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Buckeyes knew they’d have work to do replacing production at receiver. They may not have known how soon, as a Jaxon Smith-Njigba injury early in Saturday’s win over Notre Dame forced younger receivers to step up in a big way.

Smith-Njigba was expected to be the star of the show after a massive breakout performance in last year’s Rose Bowl, but a hamstring injury in the first quarter sidelined him.

Next man up, right?

Enter second-year players Emeka Egbuka and Marvin Harrison Jr., who filled the void nicely as the Buckeyes managed to pull out a key 21-10 win over the Fighting Irish.

“Emeka and Marvin, and I feel like that first game kind of put a little taste in people’s mouth of what we can do a little bit,” quarterback CJ Stroud said. “But I feel like we’ll do even more and more just with the work we put in and things like that. Emeka and Marvin, they’re two great young players, work hard, great routes, great body discipline and different things like that, so super excited to see what they do.”

Young OSU receivers emerge after Jaxon Smith-Njigba injury

With the Jaxon Smith-Njigba injury occurring in the first quarter and ultimately chasing him from the game early in the third, the Buckeyes needed a handful of younger players to step up. Smith-Njigba logged just two catches for three yards against the Fighting Irish before exiting with the hamstring tweak.

Egbuka and Harrison both answered the call. Egbuka finished with nine catches for 90 yards and a touchdown, including a 31-yard hookup that broke the goose egg on the scoreboard for the Buckeyes in the first quarter.

“He got to show a little bit of what he can do even though he can do more,” Stroud said. “I feel like even in our pass game he fits it perfectly.

Harrison also added five catches for 56 yards in the contest. Both will be needed going forward for Ohio State, regardless of when Smith-Njigba’s injury allows him to return.

OSU coach Ryan Day noted Tuesday he hopes Smith-Njigba will be able to play on Saturday against Arkansas State, but the Buckeyes won’t rush him back before he’s 100% healthy again.

Stroud and company are confident in the younger wideouts, though.

“Yeah, Emeka, even Marvin, both extremely hard workers,” Stroud said. “Both always in the building working on their game, doing something right. Even off the field, trying to just make sure their bodies are right. If you’ve seen they’re all buffed up, they’re chiseled up. So that just shows how great they are, what they do, how serious they take it even being so young.”