Is Ohio State the new "Wide Receiver U?"
Alabama, with DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle among their pass-catchers currently in the NFL, might not agree. LSU, with Ja'Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson, Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. all starring in the league, certainly wouldn't agree.
The Buckeyes, however, continue to see their wide receivers find instant success in the NFL, whether that is Garrett Wilson's Offensive Rookie of the Year campaign in 2022 or Emeka Egbuka's two-touchdown debut in 2025.
The Sporting News ranks the top Ohio State wide receivers currently in the NFL, from Jaxon Smith-Njigba to Curtis Samuel.
Lions WR Jameson Williams, who started his college career at Ohio State but entered the draft out of Alabama, was not included.
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1. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seahawks
Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
- Year drafted: 2023
- Selection: No. 20
It took some time, but Jaxon Smith-Njigba has settled into his role as a focal point of the Seattle Seahawks' offense. The 2023 first-round pick saw his production improve across the board next to DK Metcalf in 2024, increasing his catch rate and gaining more yards per reception, and his early returns as Sam Darnold's clear-cut No. 1 receiver are excellent, with Smith-Njigba on pace for career-highs once again.
Smith-Njigba doesn't have the track record of Terry McLaurin or even Wilson, but would he be the first Ohio State receiver off the board if every team could have its choice? With the way he continues to improve, it would be hard to say otherwise.
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2. Garrett Wilson, Jets
© Ed Mulholland
- Year drafted: 2022
- Selection: No. 10
Wilson has performed since the day he debuted with the New York Jets, despite plenty of dismal quarterback play and often few legitimate weapons around him. The 2022 first-round pick started his career with three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons, doubling his career touchdown total in 2024 and adding some ridiculous catches to his highlight reel.
Wilson has entrenched himself as a legitimate No. 1 receiver for the Jets, but New York is still waiting for an elite season from the former Buckeyes star. Wilson's ceiling should be higher than 1,100 yards when he has better quarterback play or a serious No. 2 receiver opposite him for more than half of a season, but that explosive production still needs to show itself at some point.
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3. Terry McLaurin, Commanders
- Year drafted: 2019
- Selection: No. 76
McLaurin is the most accomplished active Ohio State wide receiver by a healthy margin, with six 1,000-yard seasons and two Pro Bowl selections under his belt. He is another player who fought through plenty of horrid quarterback play and still found a way to shine, becoming one of the NFL's most durable players at the position with the Washington Commanders.
Now on the wrong side of 30, McLaurin remains a valuable weapon, but he is beginning to cede the title of best active Buckeyes receiver to the younger Smith-Njigba and Wilson as they continue to ascend.
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4. Emeka Egbuka, Buccaneers
Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
- Year drafted: 2025
- Selection: No. 19
Is it too early to be excited about Egbuka? Scouting reports leading up to the 2025 draft mostly agreed that he was one of the safest wide receiver prospects, with his ceiling the question. If his propensity for finding the end zone and making plays downfield in the opening games of his career are any indication, Egbuka's ceiling might be higher than many believed.
The national champion already looks incredibly comfortable in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' offense, and he is on an early pace to contend for Ohio State's third Offensive Rookie of the Year Award in four years.
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5. Marvin Harrison Jr., Cardinals
© Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
- Year drafted: 2024
- Selection: No. 4
Harrison absolutely has time to launch himself into stardom and jump to near the top of rankings like these, but he simply hasn't proven it yet. Harrison's production was fine as a rookie, with a solid 885 yards and eight touchdowns but a catch rate of only 53.4 percent on a whopping 116 targets.
Those expecting a sophomore breakthrough for Harrison have not yet seen it, with drops remaining an issue for a player many believed could be one of the best offensive talents to ever come out of Columbus. The Arizona Cardinals still have hope Harrison can be the star they expected him to be, but the jury is still out on whether he can make that leap.
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6. Chris Olave, Saints
Imagn
- Year drafted: 2022
- Selection: No. 11
Drafted one pick apart in 2022, Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson looked like they would be in the same conversations for years to come. Olave started his career with a pair of 1,000-yard seasons, including 1,123 yards in 2022, but he was severely hampered by injuries in 2023, primarily a recurring concussion issue.
When he has been on the field since those injury concerns took hold in 2024, Olave's production has been less steady — though a messy New Orleans Saints offense is partly to blame. If fully healthy, Olave can still be a weapon even if reaching the heights of Smith-Njigba, Wilson or McLaurin again is uncertain.
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7. Curtis Samuel, Bills
- Year drafted: 2017
- Selection: No. 40
There is a significant gap between the six players above and Samuel, but the 2017 second-round pick has managed to stick around in the NFL for more than eight seasons. Samuel set a career-high with 851 yards with the Carolina Panthers in 2020 and posted more than 600 yards in back-to-back seasons in Washington before playing a complementary role with the Buffalo Bills in 2024. Much more of a gadget player than an intimidating receiver, Samuel didn't necessarily pan out the way Carolina hoped but still has made a long career for himself.
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