Ryan Day finally won the national title and ended all hot seat rumors. If not for that national title, maybe Ryan Day would still be counted amongst coaches like James Franklin, capable but unfulfilled. But amidst these conversations, we sometimes forget the groundwork Day laid during his time at Ohio State. And that foundation has reaped massive rewards. One of those jobs was consistently producing a power-packed wide receiver class, year after year, which ultimately resulted in the production of Jeremiah Smith. OSU’s natty hero.

During Ryan Day’s tenure at Ohio State, the team has not once ranked out of the top 10 nationally in total offense. Moreover, despite those consistent national title setbacks Day faced before 2024, the wide receiver room has always stayed sharp. For instance, Garrett Wilson’s selection in 2022 as the 10th overall pick by the New York Jets was just the tip of the iceberg. In truth, the WR room has always been top-notch. But what was driving this steady output?

The well-oiled and consistent wide receiver classes can be credited to the brilliance of Brian Hartline, who is on a $2 million contract per year. He, being their wide receivers’ coach, not only recruited them meticulously. But also helped the players become world-class wide receivers. Garett Wilson, Chris Olave, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and Marvin Harrison Jr. His presence is so influential that it has led to one of the long-term prospects finally hinting at settling down his commitment to OSU.

The 2028 class’s wide receiver prospect, Brysen Wright, came on a visit to Ohio St and walked away deeply impressed. What stood out to him was Brian Hartline’s brilliance. “His vibe is very cool. You coming down here, I thought it was going to be like a first time, it felt like my fifth time, it was just a very good vibe with Coach Hartline….He comforts you, he talks to you very well, he brings you around the school, just a very good coach, he makes you work hard too, he holds you accountable,” said Brysen Wright, after he was interviewed by Bucknuts 247 Sports on June 11. While the Hartline effect might be paramount for the guy, his praise and admiration for Jeremiah Smith were another factor in his admiration for Ohio State.

“When you see a guy like Jeremiah Smith from your state has the kind of year he did here last year, how much does that inspire you?” asked the interviewer about Jeremiah Smith. Brysen seemed aw-struck with Jeremiah Smith and had a humble reply. “Inspires me a lot to come and fill in his tracks and just do what he did,  I can basically just do what he did, have a very outstanding freshman year, and just keep going on from there.” The dream to be Jeremiah Smith 2.0, that’s the ultimate goal now for WR recruits, right?

Jeremiah Smith’s brilliance under Ryan Day’s offense was no secret, and last year we saw him produce 1,315 receiving yards and become their MVP returning. As for Brysen Wright? He still has a long way to go in his high school career, as he is a 2028 prospect from Jacksonville, Florida. Despite the longer timeline, the 6’2.5″ and 200 lbs wide receiver already has 16 offers in his bag, and that alone shows his raw talent. He also showed that last year, when he was named MVP of the annual FBU Freshman All-American Bowl, he received 66 yards. Moreover, he also became a leading wide receiver for his High School previous year, receiving 646 yards and 8 TDs.

Ryan Day already roped in a hero off the field in a talented QB

Ryan Day has been hitting out of the park consistently in recruiting. Just in the 2025 class, the head coach has roped in a fifth-ranked class nationally. This has talents like Tavien St. Clair, Devin Sanchez, and Quincy Porter, the three five-star commits. And after concluding the 2025 class, Ryan Day is on to do the same for his 2026 class. But we’re not even talking about 2026, the head coach is doing wonders with 2 commits already for the 2027 class. One of those 4-star commits is Brady Edmunds, and he is already pulling in praise.

When your name is Brady, it’s quite natural that you would garner some headlines. So, in that spirit, Brady Edmund also made the news after he spent his Tuesday at a Columbus Children’s Hospital and donated NIL money to the cause.“Ohio State QB commit Brady Edmunds has donated toys and books using NIL dollars to Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus. The four-star recruit is the No. 3 QB prospect in 2027,” posted ON3’s Pete Nakos on X.

Brady Edmunds has been backed by Athletes First with a significant $368,000 ON3 NIL valuation already. Being the third-ranked QB in the class, he has a high ceiling, and he is using his NIL money for a good cause instead of spending it on flashy spending. That’s the sign of a world-class QB already, right? The 16-year-old still has two years in his High School to perform, and we could surely see his rating upgraded to five stars in the future.