Joey Galloway questions Ohio State stars playing in Rose Bowl vs Utah

Over recent years, many of college football’s top prospects destined for the NFL draft have opted out once the CFP national championship is out of reach. Ohio State is loaded with draftable talent and is now set for a Rose Bowl matchup against Pac-12 champion Utah. However, it remains unclear how many of the Buckeyes’ top playmakers will participate in bowl season.

During ESPN’s College Football Playoff Selection Show, Joey Galloway raised questions about whether star wide receivers Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson will participate alongside sophomores CJ Stroud and Jaxson Smith-Njigba or start preparing for their professional future.

“The question is, who is playing for Ohio State?” Joey Galloway started. “That’s what we’re going to have to play attention to.  Does Chris Olave go play?  Does Garrett Wilson go play?” 

Kirk Hebstreit said he thinks both Olave and Wilson will suit up for the Buckeyes against Utah in the Rose Bowl. Galloway disagreed.

“I’m going to go the other way,” Galloway said. “In this situation, if you’re those two guys, and have a chance to go in the first round [of the 2022 NFL Draft], I don’t believe in this way of thinking, but I would be surprised if Ohio State comes in fully-tooled.”

Olave and Wilson both top the wide receiver boards of ESPN experts Todd McShay and Mel Kiper, making them near locks to go in the first round – at least barring an injury. The pay-gap for rookie deals given in the middle of the first round and the start of the second round is significant.

However, Ohio State does have the benefit of the Rose Bowl – its history and cultural significance in the area – which could draw on the wide receiver duo’s school loyalty.

Ohio State’s wide receiver depth

While Ohio State does not know whether Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson will participate in the Rose Bowl yet, they know plenty talented wide receivers will stand on the sideline. In addition to breakout sophomore Jaxson Smith-Njigba – who Olave and Wilson acknowledge as the best of the trio – the Buckeyes have sophomore Julian Fleming on the bench next to Marvin Harrison Jr, Gee Scott Jr, and Emeka Egbuka.

The talent level in Ohio State’s wide receiver room is unmatched across the country. So much so that they lost a pair of reserve receivers to the portal last season. In their new homes, Jameson Williams and Mookie Cooper have done well for themselves, dominating the SEC all season.