Scarlet Sunrise: Surging Ohio State-to-NFL wide receiver pipeline continues
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Surging Ohio State-to-NFL wide receiver pipeline continues
Over the last three years, Ohio State has now had four wide receivers taken in the first round of the NFL Draft.
Garrett Wilson went No. 10 overall to the New York Jets in 2022, and Chris Olave went one pick later at No. 11 to the New Orleans Saints in that same draft. Last year, the Seattle Seahawks grabbed Jaxon Smith-Njigba with the No. 20 overall pick.
And then, last but certainly not least, Marvin Harrison Jr. became the highest-drafted wide receiver in Ohio State history when the Arizona Cardinals selected him with the No. 4 overall pick Thursday night in Detroit.
“It’s a proud room,” head coach Ryan Day said of the Buckeyes’ receivers, via ESPN’s College GameDay hours before the draft. “And there’s been a lot of great receivers that have come before. The guys the last couple years have really done a great job, not only having an opportunity to play in the NFL but once they’ve gotten there, they’ve done great since they’ve been there.
“But I think the thing’s that unique about Marvin here is he walked into that room with all those guys in there, and the same guys that are right now back in Columbus. They want to work to get each other better. I think that environment that’s being created over these years, Brian Hartline’s been a huge part of that, is one of the big reasons why these guys have gone on to do so well once they’re in the NFL.”
Day added: “It’s one thing to get drafted, it’s another thing to have success once you’re there.”
Wilson won AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, but both he and Olave eclipsed the 1,000-yard receiving mark during the 2022 NFL season. Actually, they became the first receivers from the same school to reach that milestone in the same rookie season. They each followed debuts seasons up with another 1,000-yard receiving campaign in 2023.
As for Smith-Njigba, he didn’t break out quite like Wilson and Olave did as rookies. But he ranked third on the Seahawks in catches (63), receiving yards (628) and touchdowns (four) in 2023. Of his four scores, two were game-winners.
Harrison will have an opportunity to put up big numbers in 2024, and maybe even win AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year — he would be the third straight Ohio State product to do so, after all, since quarterback C.J. Stroud took home the award after this past season.
“Kyler Murray is grinning from ear to ear,” NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah said of the Cardinals’s starting quarterback, following Arizona’s selection of Harrison. “He has a No. 1 wide receiver, and not two years from now, three years from now — this is a No. 1 wide receiver this year.”
Harrison is the highest-drafted wideout in Ohio State history. Previously, the late Terry Glenn — who was picked No. 7 overall in 1996 — held that title.
While Hartline has vaulted the Buckeyes receiver pipeline to never-seen-before heights in Columbus, Ohio State has a history of sending wideouts to the first round of the NFL Draft since the mid-90s: as mentioned above, Glenn went No. 7 overall in 1996, but David Boston went No. 8 overall in 1999, Joey Galloway went No. 8 overall in 1995, Ted Ginn Jr. went No. 9 overall in 2007, Santonio Holmes went No. 25 overall in 2005, Michael Jenkins went No. 29 overall in 2004 and Anthony Gonzalez went No. 32 overall in 2007.
Don’t forget about Paul Warfield going No. 11 back in 1964, either.
That’s just the first round, too.
The only school with more receivers drafted this century is LSU (25). Ohio State is one behind with 24 wideouts selected since 2000.
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MOST WR NFL DRAFT PICKS SINCE 2000
| # OF RECEIVERS PICKED | SCHOOL |
| 25 | LSU |
| 24 | Ohio State |
| 21 | Florida |
| 19 | USC |
| 17 | Oklahoma |
And that number is just going to keep rising. Emeka Egbuka could be a first rounder next year. Carnell Tate and/or Brandon Inniss the year after that. And the year after that? Jeremiah Smith.
Buckeyes WR Marvin Harrison Jr. selected No. 4 overall to Arizona Cardinals
Harrison didn’t have to wait long in the green room Thursday night. Going No. 4 overall to the Arizona Cardinals, he was the first non-quarterback taken in a first round dominated by signal callers (in fact, six of the first 12 picks were quarterbacks).
A Biletnikoff Award winner and Heisman Trophy finalist, Harrison enjoyed a prolific career with the Buckeyes that saw him become the first Ohio State player to stack 1,000-yard receiving seasons.
Now, the son of Pro Football Hall of Fame receiver Marvin Harrison Sr. gets to write his own pro legacy.
For more on Harrison to the Cardinals, head over here.
RELATED
Predicting next Buckeyes stars to become first-round picks
Ohio State had only one first-round pick in this year’s NFL Draft. But the Buckeyes have several more waiting in the wings.
You can expect them to, too, considering Ohio State has more first-round picks (91) than any other school in the country. USC (86) and Alabama (82) are second and third, respectively, in that regard.
With that in mind, Lettermen Row is predicting the next Ohio State stars to hear their names called on the first day of the draft.
Check out those predictions here.
Counting Down
Buckeyes vs. Akron: 129 days
Buckeyes vs. Michigan: 220 days
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