Beneath Smith: OSU’s 2026 Receiving Corps Ranked
Ohio State boasts Jeremiah Smith as its unquestioned top target, but the Buckeyes have built a depth chart behind him featuring four distinct profiles. Brandon Inniss steps up in Year Four after playing a secondary role behind Carnell Tate and Emeka Egbuka; his 38-game résumé includes 505 receiving yards and five touchdowns, and he’s poised to become Smith’s new No. 2 threat. True freshman Chris Henry Jr., an ESPN 300 top-10 recruit, could settle in as the No. 3 option, while transfer Devin McCuin arrives from UTSA with 152 catches for 1,696 yards and 16 scores on his résumé. Finally, portal addition Kyle Parker brings SEC experience from LSU—330 yards and four touchdowns last year—and hopes to regain his early promise once the Bayou Blues misfires are in his rearview mirror.
Welcome to the Ohio State Wide Receiver Hot Potato Championship, where names fly faster than the pigskin. Imagine a sitcom where Brandon Inniss tries desperately not to trip over his own cleats in the shadows of departed NFL legends. Meanwhile, Chris Henry Jr. gets starstruck hugging the goalpost, and Devin McCuin shows up in scarlet and gray, fresh off a Roadrunners’ pep rally expecting polite receptions, only to find Big Ten DBs auditioning for their own highlight reels. Kyle Parker, the prodigal portal prodigy, is left wondering if he took the wrong exit off I-75. It’s like Glee meets fantasy football, and the only trophy is a national championship—or at least a game-day catch that doesn’t get flagged.
Buckeyes’ 2026 Backfield: Can Fresh Legs Fill Big Shoes?
Ohio State’s 2026 running back room returns Bo Jackson, last season’s freshman breakout star who piled up 1,090 yards and six touchdowns on 179 carries. The Buckeyes watched CJ Donaldson Jr. leave via the portal and James Peoples head to Penn State, but added depth from the true freshman ranks and transfers is on deck. Isaiah West chipped in with 310 yards and two scores as a reserve last year and returns alongside Jackson to form a dynamic duo. Ohio State’s title runs in 2014 and 2024 hinged on Ezekiel Elliott’s 386 playoff yards and Quinshon Judkins’ 100-yard, two-TD championship performance; West and Jackson aim to write the next chapter of Buckeye backfield lore.
Behold the Buckeye body shop, where running backs go in for a tune-up and emerge with championship decals. First, Bo Jackson says “hold my helmet” to everyone who thought he was just a freshman, then Isaiah West tries not to cry in the testimonial video. Meanwhile, portal refugees parade in hoping for a cameo in the sequel to “OSU Backfield: The Return of the Yards.” The coaching staff watches in glee as carries are dolled out like participation trophies, and fans collectively pray that someone, anyone, hits the hole like they stole free sunscreen at spring practice. It’s part performance art, part gladiator arena—and the only bailout comes at the goal line.
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