Ryan Day’s tenure in Columbus has been defined by elite wide receiver talent. Top names like Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka, and Carnell Tate have led the way. 

What do all six of these names have in common? They were all drafted in the first round of the NFL draft under Ryan Day. Ohio State has had its fair share of historic defenses throughout the program’s storied history. However, since taking over as the head coach of the Buckeyes, Day has elevated offensive development to unprecedented heights. This run of elite wide receiver play is another reflection of just that.

Garrett Wilson

Starting with Garrett Wilson, a former 5-star prospect in the class of 2019 out of Lake Travis, Texas. Standing at 6’0 and 175 pounds, Wilson came to Ohio State with elite ball skills, route-running, and exceptional toughness at his size. Perhaps the best example of Wilson’s abilities was against Clemson in the 2019 CFP semifinal when he made an unforgettable acrobatic catch while rising above the defender’s head. From year one, it was evident he would be special.

In three years and 33 games at Ohio State, Wilson recorded 2,213 yards and 23 touchdowns, with the 23 TDs currently sitting at No. 10 on the all-time career receiving list at OSU. When it came time for him to enter the draft, he was a hot commodity alongside his then teammate, Chris Olave. As fate would have it, Wilson would go as the 10th overall pick in the draft to the Jets, immediately followed by Olave at 11, who the Saints selected.

Wilson made his impact felt early on with the Jets as he became the Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2022 and also recently signed a sizable extension with the team. He was the catalyst for a historic run for the Buckeyes in the receiver room.

Chris Olave

Alongside Garret Wilson was Chris Olave. Olave was lightly recruited and pegged as a 3-star recruit for much of his recruitment until OSU discovered him while recruiting his High School quarterback, CJ Stroud, at Mission Hills in California. With a slender 6’1, 170-pound build, Olave wasn’t your prototypical OSU receiver, but that proved to be a moot point.

Olave broke onto the scene against Michigan in 2018 when he seemingly came out of nowhere to block a punt and score two touchdowns en route to a dismantling of Michigan. From that point on, he tallied 2,711 yards and 35 touchdowns in his career, putting him No. 3 all-time in yards and No. 1 for touchdowns in OSU history. Then, Olave, of course, famously followed Garrett Wilson by going to the Saints with the 11th pick in the 2022 NFL draft, where he has accumulated 3,728 yards and 19 touchdowns. Not bad for an under-recruited and “undersized” prospect.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Following in Olave’s footsteps would be Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Jaxon was another 5-star recruit and hails from Rockwall, Texas. At 6’1 and 188 pounds, Smith-Njigba was, and is, a Swiss Army knife at the receiver position. However, what he does best and was made famous for in Seattle this past season is savvy route-running. Simply put, he finds a way to get open.

This allowed him to amass the single greatest season in Ohio State history in terms of yards receiving (1,606) and receptions (95) in 2021. Of course, this season was capped off by one of the greatest single-game performances ever by a Wide Receiver when Jaxon went off for 347 yards against Utah in the Rose Bowl, setting an FBS Bowl record.

Smith-Njigba was selected by the Seahawks with the 20th overall pick in the 2023. By 2024, he became a Pro Bowler, and this past season, Jaxon added not only another Pro Bowl to his resume but also won Offensive Player of the Year en route to earning a Super Bowl ring with Seattle. Smith-Njigba led the NFL in receiving with 1,793 yards in 2025. No matter where he is, the guy gets open.

Marvin Harrison Jr.

Marvin Harrison Jr is a more interesting case. Marvin came to Ohio State as a highly touted 4-star recruit and received plenty of publicity because of his name. However, due to the depth at the Wide Receiver position at OSU, he barely saw the field until his sophomore year. At times, he was overshadowed by players like Garrett Wilson, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and Chris Olave.

With that being said, Marvin made his mark when he had his chance. He became a two-time All-American, led the Big Ten in receiving touchdowns twice with 14 TD, and finished his career with 2,613 yards receiving, which has him at No. 5 on the all-time list at OSU. With a 6’3 and 210-pound frame, Marvin had the ideal receiver build for the NFL. The Cardinals agreed and would select him with the 4th overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft.

While battling injury, Harrison Jr has amassed 1,493 yards and 12 TD in his two seasons in the league and is primed for a breakout year with Arizona in 2026 if he can stay healthy.

Emeka Egbuka

The most recent Buckeye receiver to make an impact in the league is Emeka Egbuka. Egbuka was a bona fide 5-star recruit and the top receiver in his class out of Steilacoom, Washington. With wicked sharp cuts and vicious hands, Emeka was a staple in OSU’s offense all the way up until he helped bring home a national title in 2024. Fishing his college career with 2,868 yards and 205 receptions, Egbuka sits atop the Ohio State record books in both yards and receptions.

In 2025, the Buccaneers selected Emeka with the 19th overall pick in the draft. Paired with a revitalized Baker Mayfield, Ekbuka flourished in his rookie year, going for 938 yards and 6 touchdowns en route to finishing top five in rookie of the year voting. The future is undoubtedly bright for Emeka in Tampa Bay.

Carnell Tate

This brings us to this year’s draft, where the Tennessee Titans turned heads when they selected Carnell Tate with the 4th overall pick of the draft. However, if you’re a Buckeye fan, you weren’t all that surprised. Tate was a 5-star recruit out of IMG Academy in Florida.

Paired with his 6’6 wingspan is his impeccable ball skills, as Carnell put on a show with acrobatic catches throughout his career. Not to mention the route-running that allowed Coach Day to use him in a myriad of ways, Tate’s size and skill set will be a match made in heaven for Cam Ward and the Titans’ offense.

Jeremiah Smith

Aside from all the elite wide receivers mentioned in this piece, there’s one that wasn’t, but is likely even better than any of the names mentioned: Jeremiah Smith.

The former No. 1 overall recruit has torched defenses for 2,558 yards and 27 touchdowns in just two seasons, already putting him 6th all-time in yards and 5th in touchdowns at OSU. At 6’3 and 223 pounds, Jeremiah came to Ohio State with an NFL-ready frame. Speed, ball skills, routes, etc., you name it, Jeremiah Smith has it in spades.

Beyond the pure talent, he is also constantly praised for his unflappable work ethic, which is a must to make it at the next level. When it comes time for next year’s NFL draft, and Smith’s name is called, the league will officially be put on notice, if it hasn’t already.