It’s no secret that Ohio State’s recruiting efforts in the Ryan Day era have been among the elite in college football. If there’s one area the Buckeyes are arguably the best, it’s recruiting receivers. When Urban Meyer made Brian Hartline the interim wide receiver coach in 2018 – and then the permanent coach at the end of the season – he must have seen what was coming. From 2019 through the 2025 class, the Buckeyes and Harline earned the commitment and subsequent signing of 22 receivers, all of whom were considered at least four-star athletes by 247Sports. Of those 22, seven were five-star.
Now, with the commitment of four-star Kayden Dixon-Wyatt, the Buckeyes have four receiver commits in the 2026 class with one more already in the chamber for 2027. Oddly enough, if it all holds, Ohio State will finally enroll a three-star receiver in Brock Boyd.
He chose the Buckeyes over the likes of Oregon, USC, Alabama, and Texas. After, Dixon-Wyatt declared to his audience and any other recruit tuning in, “If you want to be an elite receiver, you go to Ohio State.”
Latest Ohio State Commit Has High Praise for Brian Hartline
When it comes to putting receivers into the NFL in the Hartline era, Ohio State has been second-to-none. Since the 2019 NFL Draft, Ohio State has had eight receivers drafted. Alabama, LSU, Georgia, and Florida are all tied in second place with seven selections in that timeframe. Of those eight, the last five picked were first-rounders, tied with Alabama for the most in this seven-year window.
With all of that, Carnell Tate is currently expected to be a first-round selection in next year’s draft. Meanwhile, Jeremiah Smith is already being hyped as the potential top non-quarterback in the 2027 class.
It could be argued that Hartline is great at recruiting, and then Ohio State rides off the back of those already talented players. From 2019 through the 2025 recruiting class, there were 27 five-star recruits at the receiver position. Seven committed to Ohio State.
Of the 27 five-stars, 12 were at least eligible for the 2025 NFL Draft. In that group, two are still in school, one is in limbo in the transfer portal, four went undrafted, and five were drafted. Only Ohio State had a player selected in the first round…and it had three.
Seven players in that group transferred, and none have been drafted (including Julian Fleming after transferring from Ohio State to Penn State).
Stats Show He’s Right
Ohio State has swung and missed at the receiver position, there’s no denying that fact. Every program has its strengths and has floundered at least a few times. Fleming is a great example, but he did have a handful of injuries hampering his career. However, when it comes to top-end talent, Hartline gets the job done.
With Tate and Smith on the roster this year, Ohio State looks to add at least two more. Not to mention if Brandon Inniss has a breakout this year, he could join the group. Mylan Graham has been turning heads in a short time. After his performance in the Spring Game, he looks to have a healthy amount of playing time this year. Oh, and don’t forget Quincy Porter, who shed his black stripe in no time at all this Spring.
As the sixth-best receiver recruit in the 2026 class as of his commitment, according to 247Sports, Dixon-Wyatt could play his way into a fifth star. His Mater Dei teammate, Chris Henry Jr., is another four-star recruit (fourth-best). He has been an Ohio State commit since July 2023. Dixon-Wyatt is a strong, six-foot-two vertical threat who is a matchup nightmare in the red zone. He projects to be a reliable jump-ball threat with tools that allow him to win everywhere else on the field.
Dixon-Wyatt and Henry on the same high school team is unfair, but at Mater Dei, it’s just another year. The reigning champions continue to win on the recruiting trail. With more stars coming through, it doesn’t look like it will slow down anytime soon.
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