Ohio State enters 2026 needing another receiver to step into the space Carnell Tate leaves behind, and Brandon Inniss is the name worth circling.
Tate gave the Buckeyes exactly what they needed as a complementary danger opposite Jeremiah Smith, and he did it without ever forcing the issue. Now he’s gone after going fourth overall in this spring’s NFL Draft, and Ohio State has to find someone who can draw enough attention to keep defenses from loading up on Smith.
Inniss, a senior and former five-star recruit from Hollywood, Florida, has been in the program long enough to know his role. He has also been productive enough to suggest there’s more in the tank.
Last season, he finished third among Ohio State receivers in catches, yards and touchdowns, and he also trailed tight end Max Klare in receptions and receiving yards. Most of his work came underneath or over the middle, not as the kind of vertical threat Tate was.
That’s the next step for Inniss. The talent has always been there - he came into college as the No. 3 wide receiver nationally and the No. 22 player overall - but Ohio State has mostly used him as a supporting piece.
Even a year ago, when there was talk of a breakout, the Buckeyes leaned less on three-receiver sets than expected and kept more tight ends involved. That approach could carry into 2026 under new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.
The offense is expected to lean more on the run and use that to set up the passing game. The downfield shots still have to be there, though, because not using Jeremiah Smith’s ability that way would be, as the source puts it, “like buying a Ferrari and leaving it in the garage.”
So the question becomes who lines up across from Smith and makes defenses pay. Inniss could be that player, even if his career to this point hasn’t featured many deep-ball moments.
He caught 36 passes for 231 yards and three touchdowns in 14 games last season, after posting 14 catches for 176 yards and a touchdown in 2024 as the fourth receiver. As a freshman, he only had one catch, but it was a memorable one: a 58-yard touchdown against Purdue that showed what he could do once the ball was in his hands.
Inniss has already proven he can help Ohio State as a third receiver and on special teams. If that’s where he stays, the Buckeyes are still in good shape. But if he can separate himself from a crowded group of younger receivers and deliver when called on, he has a chance to turn 2026 into the breakout season that has been waiting for him and put himself on the NFL Draft radar.
In Other News...
Khary Wilder Is Giving Ohio State Fans An Early Reason To Believe
Khary Wilder has already made himself part of the conversation in Ohio States fall camp. The freshman defensive lineman shed his black stripe, becoming the fifth Buckeyes newcomer to do so this year, a small but meaningful marker that he is settling in quickly and starting to earn trust on a line that will need fresh pieces to emerge.
His timing matters because Ohio State is trying to reload up front after losing several key players to the NFL Draft, and defensive coordinator Matt Patricia is known for favoring a deep rotation. Wilder is expected to be in that mix, giving the Buckeyes another young option to lean on as they try to keep the defense operating at a high level even as the roster turns over. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio States Backup Quarterback Battle Just Got More Complicated
The second full week of training camp has already started to clarify a key part of Ohio States quarterback picture behind Julian Sayin, and freshman Luke Fahey has pushed himself right into the conversation. Head coach Ryan Day said Fahey has been competing strongly for the backup role, a notable development for a player who arrived as a three-star recruit with a reputation for pocket passing and steady work ethic.
Fahey also earned his black stripe on Saturday, another sign that his progression is being taken seriously inside the program. His rise has made the battle for the No. 2 job more complicated, with Tavien St. Clair now feeling added pressure as camp moves forward and the Buckeyes continue sorting out the depth chart behind their starter. [Read more 🡒]
Ryan Day Just Turned Up The Pressure On Ohio State's Bo Jackson
Ryan Day has made it clear that Bo Jacksons progress in fall camp is being judged with a sharp eye, and for now the Ohio State running back is being pushed to prove that his improved running style will matter when the games begin. Day said Jackson looks better than he did a year ago, but the early message from camp has been about earning trust through practice, not reputation, and that has put Jackson in a more competitive spot than some might have expected.
Jacksons path is still very much in front of him, but the way Ohio State has handled the running back rotation suggests nothing is guaranteed. Day has stressed that development has to show up on the field, and the longer that evaluation goes on, the more this becomes about Jacksons ability to keep moving forward in Columbus and forcing the staff to keep him in the picture. [Read more 🡒]