Ohio State Buckeyes receiver Jeremiah Smith believes he's never had so much talent in the WR room since arriving at a championship roster that featured Emeka Egbuka and Carnell Tate ahead of the 2024 season.
Smith made the surprising comments during the 2026 Big Ten Football Media Days on Thursday. The Buckeyes' WR1 this year and last even gave two names that he believes will replace Tate's production doing the little things: LSU Tigers transfer Kyle Parker and UTSA Roadrunners transfer Devin McCuin.
"I think (compared to) my last two years, I think this is the most depth we got at the receiver position," Smith said. "A lot of guys who can play and can do many different things. So, it's gonna be pretty special this season, for sure. Those guys bring a lot.
"Devin (McCuin) and Kyle (Parker) – kinda like (Carnell Tate) did – the blocking and all the gritty stuff that Carnell was doing last year, they're in that role as well. So, I mean, those two guys fit in perfectly with our culture and the offense, so yeah."
It's easy to be excited about the overall depth of the room beyond the transfers. 5-star freshman Chris Henry Jr. is living up to the billing, while 3-star freshman Brock Boyd is outshining him. Team captain Brandon Inniss is back.
Smith being so excited about the transfers is an incredible sign, though. He didn't just say Parker and McCuin were getting on well on the field, but in Ryan Day's culture. It's not a culture for the weak, and it demands new players to prove themselves with the black stripe system, which Urban Meyer started and Day has continued.
It's notable that it takes two players to be in the conversation about what Tate did on the field. That speaks to the depth of this year's team, but even more so to what Tate brought in snaps that most onlookers weren't watching him during.
Kyle Parker and Devin McCuin carrying more than Carnell Tate's gravity
Parker and McCuin are the test subjects of a potential future portal strategy at the receiver position. It could be why Cortez Hankton has been a bit slower than one would expect in filling in the blanks with the 2027 and 2028 classes.
Hankton was part of a portal-heavy culture in Baton Rouge with the LSU Tigers and could convince Day of the value transfers bring. What better way to deliver for a Buckeyes QB who usually steps in ready to win every year than by bringing in veterans at a difficult position to immediately dominate at coming in as a freshman?
Parker and McCuin's success will be a fascinating story that could convince the brain trust, in real time, that there's another way to win: bringing in battle-tested receivers from different systems around the country. If they catch on quick enough, gelling with quarterback Julian Sayin, then Day and Co. may view the portal as a more important recruiting component at the position moving forward.
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