Ohio State’s footprint was everywhere in Week 3 of the NFL season.
The Buckeyes’ receiver pipeline kept rolling, with former Ohio State pass catchers making big plays and piling up production across the league. Garrett Wilson delivered one of the night’s most eye-catching moments for the Jets, soaring over a defender for a touchdown. He finished with 10 catches for 107 yards and that score.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba kept his strong start going for Seattle, even in a loss. He turned in a huge line with 10 receptions for 128 yards and two touchdowns, and he looked like the best player on the field.
Chris Olave matched that kind of impact for New Orleans, too. The Saints also came up short, but Olave wasn’t the issue, as he led the team with nine catches for 107 yards.
That kind of output is exactly why Ohio State’s receiver room has become such a calling card in the NFL. Olave remains the Ohio State football program’s all-time leader in touchdowns for one more week.
Wilson brought the kind of explosive talent that made him such a special college player, while Smith-Njigba may be the best pro of the bunch. And the next Buckeye in line is already on the way, with Jeremiah Smith set to join that NFL fraternity next season as a first-round pick.
The defensive side of the ball made noise, too. Chase Young continued the best version of himself with another dominant outing against the Raiders, finishing with two sacks.
That pushed his season total to 3.5. Sonny Styles also put together the strongest game of his rookie season in the Commanders’ win over the Seahawks.
He recorded five tackles, two passes knocked down, and an interception.
With Buckeyes making stops all over the field and three former Ohio State receivers leading the NFL in contested catches, the program’s reach is hard to miss right now. For Ohio State, it’s another reminder that the production doesn’t stop once players leave Columbus. It keeps showing up on Sundays.
In Other News...
Ohio State Freshman Legend Bey May Have A Bigger Problem Than Playing Time
Legend Beys first season at Ohio State has already been shaped by interruption, and not just because of the usual freshman learning curve. After an earlier suspension and an ankle injury, the running back has been working from behind for playing time, and his role has stayed limited as the Buckeyes have moved through the season. Even in areas where young players can sometimes find a foothold, his path has been narrow.
The latest sign came against Illinois, when Bey did not play and another player handled his kick-return work instead. For a freshman trying to earn more than a spot in the rotation, that kind of move can say plenty about where he stands with the staff. If the concerns run deeper than health or depth-chart traffic, it could become a bigger issue for Bey as he looks to settle his future in Columbus. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio States Future Talent Pipeline Is Starting To Look Different
Ohio States recruiting machine is still humming, but the shape of the pipeline is starting to change. The Buckeyes already hold 19 verbal commitments in the 2027 class, a group that includes six national top 100 players and the countrys No. 1 overall prospect, DJ Jacobs, giving the staff another chance to load up early with high-end talent.
The next wave looks just as promising, if a little different in how it is forming. Ohio State has five commitments in the 2028 class, four of them top 100 prospects, led by quarterback Christopher Vargas at No. 4 nationally, and even the 2029 class already has a foothold with wide receiver Austin Miller, ranked No. 50. For a program that has long built its roster on blue-chip talent, the real question is how this early momentum will translate when the class rankings and the pressure both start to rise. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Has A Growing Running Back Problem Behind Ja'Kobi Jackson
Ohio State got the win over Illinois in Week 4, but the running back room left Ryan Day with a lot to sort through. The group finished with 122 rushing yards, and Ja'Kobi Jackson accounted for the best of it with 56 yards and a touchdown, giving the Buckeyes a steadier presence than they got from the rest of the rotation.
What followed was more revealing than the box score. Day publicly singled out sophomores Bo Jackson and Isaiah West, questioning their effort when compared with Ja'Kobi Jackson, and the backdrop here is not just one uneven afternoon but a position group dealing with injuries and inconsistent play. For Ohio State, the bigger concern is whether there is a reliable answer behind Ja'Kobi Jackson, because right now the depth chart looks far less settled than a contender would prefer. [Read more 🡒]