The top school for wide receivers in the NFL is currently Ohio State. As my colleague Greg Auman thoroughly covered in this excellent story that you should read if you haven’t already, six former Buckeyes wide receivers (including transfer Jameson Williams) have been taken in the first round of the NFL draft over the last four years.
Besides their unique athletic talents, one of the primary reasons for that group’s success has been the tutelage of former NFL wide receiver Brian Hartline, the receivers coach and offensive coordinator for Ohio State, whose thoughtful approach had led to that group’s success over the years.
But Hartline wants no part of ranking his former players.
“I’m out of that game. I’m not doing that,” Hartline told Auman, when asked to pick his favorites. “In my head I have them, but I’ll never say them. Those guys can answer. I love those guys.”
Understood, coach. That said, how do you rank the best of this talented group? Here’s our selection of the top 10 receivers from Ohio State currently in the league at this point of their careers, considering production, availability, overall accomplishments and athleticism for the position.
Selected in the second round of the 2019 draft by the Indianapolis Colts, Campbell put up some impressive numbers at the Scouting Combine, recording a 4.31-second 40-yard time, posting a 40-inch vertical jump and a 11-foot, 3-inch broad jump.
However, that explosiveness unfortunately has not translated to consistent production in the pros for Campbell. In his best season, Campbell finished with 63 receptions for 623 yards and three touchdowns in his final year with the Colts in 2022.
Paris, 28, totaled 90 receptions for 1,063 yards and 12 touchdowns in his final season for the Buckeyes in 2018, No. 10 in receiving yards for a single season in school history. Campbell is currently on the Cowboys’ practice squad.
A physical player with good hands who can make plays inside the numbers, Brown hauled in the famous Hail Mary pass that helped the Commanders miraculously defeat the Chicago Bears last season. A seventh-round selection by the Cowboys in the 2017 draft, his best season was with the Cowboys in 2022 when he totaled 43 receptions for 555 yards and three scores in 13 starts.
Brown played in two games early for Washington this year but missed most of the season due to groin and knee issues. Brown, 29, could return to the field for the Commanders before the end of the year.
Samuel has seven catches for 81 yards and a touchdown in six games at Buffalo. The 29-year-old’s best season in the NFL was in 2022, when he totaled 64 receptions for 656 yards and four touchdowns for the Commanders.
At 5-11 and 195 pounds, Samuel was originally a second-round selection for the Carolina Panthers in the 2017 draft. Like most Ohio State receivers, Samuel’s an elite athlete, posting a 4.39-second, 40-yard time and a 37-inch vertical jump at the combine. In his final season at Ohio State, Samuel finished with 74 receptions for 865 yards and seven scores.
Considered the best route runner by his fellow receivers at Ohio State, the 23-year-old Harrison has not had the start to his pro career that most NFL observers envisioned since he was drafted in 2024.
However, Harrison has 96 receptions for 1,410 yards and 12 touchdowns in 26 games played, decent production for a young receiver. Harrison missed the last two games after having his appendix removed, but returned to practice this week.
Williams, 24, is considered the fastest among all the receivers on this list. He didn’t run the 40-yard dash at the combine because he was rehabilitating an ACL knee injury suffered during his final season at Alabama. However, Williams claimed he would have run a 4.1-second time had he been healthy.
Selected No. 12 overall by the Lions in the 2022 draft, Williams spent his first two seasons at Ohio State before transferring to Alabama, which is why he’s on this list. His top speed of 21.38 miles per hour, according to Next Gen Stats, is the fastest time among Ohio State receivers this year. The deep threat in one of the league’s top offenses; the 24-year-old averaged 18.1 yards per catch entering Week 13, which is the second-best mark in the league.
The cerebral Egbuka is one of the frontrunners for the league’s Offensive Rookie of the Year award, totaling 48 receptions for 789 yards and seven touchdowns in 11 games. Selected 19th overall by the Bucs in this year’s draft, Egbuka has a unique combination of smooth route running, physicality, sticky hands and an underrated ability to get deep.
Egbuka, 23, finished as Ohio State’s all-time leader in receptions (205) and receiving yards (2,868). Egbuka is tied for the 3rd-most receiving yards (582) on downfield throws (10+ air yards) this season, trailing only Jaxon Smith-Njigba and George Pickens., per Next Gen Stats.
If Williams is the fastest Buckeye, Olave isn’t that far behind. The San Diego native ran a blazing 4.26-second, 40-yard time at the Scouting Combine before being selected No. 11 overall in the 2022 draft by New Orleans. And that time has translated to the type of game speed he regularly plays with in the NFL.
With 69 receptions for 731 yards and four scores, Olave, 25, is on track to have his best year statistically as a pro, and third 1,000-yard season in four years.
Selected No. 10 overall by the Jets in the 2022 draft, Wilson started his career with three straight 1,000-yard receiving seasons. However, that streak is in jeopardy due to New York’s underwhelming quarterback play this season.
Wilson, 25, has 316 receptions for 3,644 yards and 18 touchdowns in four seasons. Wilson is on injured reserve due to a knee injury and is scheduled to return in Week 15 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The 30-year-old McLaurin is the most accomplished player in this group. A two-time Pro Bowler and second-team All-Pro last season, McLaurin has five 1,000-yard receiving seasons in seven seasons as a pro.
Selected in the third round of the 2019 draft by the Commanders, McLaurin has struggled to stay on the field this season. He’s only played in four games this year due to a lingering quad injury. McLaurin finished his career at Ohio State with 75 receptions for 1,251 yards and 19 touchdowns.
In his third NFL season, Smith-Njigba is on pace for an NFL-record 2,029 receiving yards. He’s already set the single-season receiving yards record for Seattle with 1,313 through 11 games, breaking the previous record of 1,303 set by DK Metcalf in 2020.
The first receiver taken in the 2023 draft by the Seahawks at No. 20, Smith-Njigba has elite ball-tracking skills and is just as productive playing inside as a slot receiver or on the perimeter. And at 6-foot and 200 pounds, Smith-Njibga still has the size and speed to consistently beat teams deep. According to Next Gen Stats, Smith-Njigba has 1,034 receiving yards on throws of 10 or more air yards this season, 394 more than any other player.
Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on X at @eric_d_williams.
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