The Ohio State Buckeyes' offense is going to be young. While Julian Sayin is entering his third year in Columbus and second as a starter, the running back room will feature sophomores Bo Jackson and Isaiah West as the main backs. The offensive line is a veteran group, but behind Jeremiah Smith, the main receivers could be freshmen. That's CBS Sports' Cody Nagel's take on the matter, anyway.
Nagel projects freshmen receivers Chris Henry Jr. and Brock Boyd being closer to a featured role than the developmental track ahead of the 2026 season, Arthur Smith's first as the team's lead play-caller.
"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," Nagel wrote of Henry.
"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," Nagel wrote of Boyd.
"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."
The first year OC's offense figures to be run-heavy and also projects to ride Jeremiah Smith like his former Tennessee Titans offenses used to ride running back Derrick Henry. There may not be many big-play opportunities down the line. Jeremiah Smith could be ready to break more records in Central Ohio.
Maybe that's just a coping mechanism for the idea that two freshmen are more ready to contribute than the transfer receivers the portal brought this past January.
Are Devin McCuin and Kyle Parker not ready for the limelight?
What's going on with the team's two transfers, former LSU Tiger Kyle Parker and former UTSA Roadrunner Devin McCuin? If Henry and Boyd are both ready for featured roles, how far off are the two transfers?
Ryan Day doesn't do transfer receivers. That's a position that Brian Hartline has been recruiting the hell out of. It's a position Cortez Hankton appears to be recruiting the hell out of. Day took to the portal for help, though, after losing Carnell Tate to the NFL and Quincy Porter, Mylan Graham, Bodpegn Miller, and Bryson Rodgers to the portal.
It's questionable if help arrived. And it's questionable if Day has buyer's remorse. Let's hope not. Day will see down years, and turnover may follow. In this era, being flexible as a head coach is everything. If McCuin and Parker aren't ready, they don't represent every possible portal get. No set-in-stone precedent needs to be set if those two don't work out.
Add us as a preferred source on Google