For most of the past decade, Ohio State wide receivers have arrived on campus, waited their turn, and eventually left as prized NFL Draft picks. Current star Jeremiah Smith is the lone exception after shattering almost all the Buckeyes’ freshman receiving records in 2024. This year, though, two more true freshmen are already part of the conversation about early playing time.
Chris Henry Jr. is the expected name in that group. The five-star receiver and 247Sports’ No. 2 wideout in the 2026 recruiting class arrived in Columbus with the kind of profile that usually guarantees attention from Day 1. He’s the next in line in a series of high-end Ohio State recruits who arrive with expectations of becoming a future NFL star.
The more unexpected development is Brock Boyd.
A three-star recruit out of Southlake Carroll in Texas, Boyd was the No. 123 receiver in his class. In most years, that profile would point toward a developmental path; limited early snaps, special teams work and a longer runway to offensive involvement.
Early indications, however, suggest something more immediate may be on the table for both true freshmen.
«Him and Chris Henry Jr. are both going to be very good players,» a source told CBS Sports this spring. «Skill sets are very different, but both are really effective at what they do. As freshmen, it’s always hard, but both will help this year. … Brock can go play right now at all three receiver positions. He’s really sharp.»
Opportunity exists behind Buckeyes’ top options
Ohio State’s receiver room is more open than it might initially appear. Jeremiah Smith remains the unquestioned centerpiece after two dominant seasons, and Brandon Innis is expected to take on a larger role entering his third year in the program. Ohio State also added experienced transfers Devin McCuin from UTSA and Kyle Parker from LSU.
But beyond those four, the competition for snaps remains unsettled.
In fact, only four receivers on Ohio State’s roster have seen at least 50 targets at the FBS level: McCuin (224), Smith (211), Innis (69) and Parker (51). That helps explain why two freshmen have already worked their way into the conversation.
For Henry, the path is relatively straightforward. As one of the highest-rated receivers in the country, the expectation has always been that he would eventually push for playing time. The question is how quickly.
Boyd’s emergence is more surprising. He arrived with far less recruiting acclaim than any Ohio State receiver who has generated offseason buzz in recent memory, yet has quickly established himself as a player capable of competing at multiple spots within the offense. In a room still sorting through its depth behind the top options, those traits could accelerate his path to playing time considerably.
How much can Ohio State’s freshman WRs actually contribute?
Before Smith rewrote the record book in 2024, Ohio State’s other eventual star receivers were complementary pieces as true freshmen. All six of the Buckeyes’ wideouts taken in the first round of the past five NFL Drafts totaled fewer than 500 yards receiving during their debut seasons. Even Garrett Wilson, whose 30 catches for 432 yards and five touchdowns in 2019 represented one of the more productive freshman campaigns at the position before Smith arrived, was still working behind established veterans.
Before the NFL: Ohio State WRs as true freshmen
| Player | Year | Rec. | Yards | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jeremiah Smith | 2024 | 76 | 1,315 | 15 |
| Carnell Tate | 2023 | 18 | 264 | 1 |
| Emeka Egbuka | 2021 | 9 | 191 | 0 |
| Marvin Harrison Jr. | 2021 | 11 | 139 | 3 |
| Jaxon Smith-Njigba | 2020 | 10 | 49 | 1 |
| Garrett Wilson | 2019 | 30 | 432 | 5 |
| Chris Olave | 2018 | 12 | 197 | 3 |
Worth noting: Harrison and Olave arrived as four-star recruits, not the consensus five-star prospects that have since become the program’s standard at the position. Both finished their careers among Ohio State’s all-time receiving leaders.
Henry’s appeal is rooted in his physical tools. The 6-foot-5 receiver, son of former NFL wideout Chris Henry, pairs that size with a large catch radius, giving Ohio State a true outside target who can win above defenders and finish contested catches. A significant portion of his production at powerhouse Mater Dei in California came on downfield throws and tight coverage situations, where his length and ball skills allowed him to turn difficult chances into completions.
Boyd enrolled at Ohio State after becoming his high school’s all-time leading receiver, breaking records that had stood for two decades. But he was the 25th-highest rated signee in Ohio State’s 29-man high school recruiting class. By recruiting metrics alone, he had no business being in this conversation.
But he is.
Whether that translates into significant production remains to be seen. But the early evaluations suggest both may already be closer to the field than Ohio State freshmen at the position typically are.
