Over the last ten years, Ohio State has produced top-level talent at the wide receiver position almost every season. Many of those players have gone on to be first-round picks in the NFL Draft. That streak continued this year when Carnell Tate was selected in the first round by the Tennessee Titans for $47.4 million. However, that also leaves a hole in the WR room at Columbus.

Jeremiah Smith’s expected to be the top offensive player next season. Most of the passing offense will probably run through him. Even with Smith leading the way, there is a concern about the rest of the receiver group. In the Spring Game, the other receivers did not play very well. Because of that, Ohio State needs someone else to step up and help on offense. Without that, defenses could focus too much on Smith.

One of the main players expected to step up is senior Brandon Inniss. He is the most experienced receiver on the team. However, he has never been WR2 in his career. Most of the time, he has played in the slot position. His production has also been limited, and he has never had more than 300 receiving yards in a single season.

Over his 3-year career at Ohio State, the four-star has recorded only 51 receptions for 505 yards and 5 touchdowns. At the same point, you can’t point your finger and call him out, because the Buckeyes are always stacked in that position. He simply had to wait for his due.

With Carnell Tate gone, Ohio State also needs help from receivers on the outside. That is important because it helps take pressure off Jeremiah Smith. Freshman Chris Henry Jr. is a very talented player and comes from a strong recruiting class ranked fourth in the country for 2026. Still, he is just a true freshman, and it is not easy for freshmen to make a big impact right away.

Brandon Inniss will also need to learn how the new offensive coordinator, Arthur Smith, wants to run the offense. He will have to understand the play-calling and find ways to get open in different situations. In the past, Ohio State has done a good job of using plays that create space for receivers. They will need to keep doing that this season. Inniss’s ability to adapt and take on a larger role could be very important to the team’s success.

Can Brandon Inniss be the next first-round Ohio State player?

Brandon Inniss, along with Jeremiah Smith and Julian Sayin, is planning to put in off-season reps in California in a couple of days or a couple of weeks. His WR buddy is all confident that Brandon Inniss is as talented as any WR from Ohio State who is playing in the NFL and went in the first round.

“This year he is going to be the guy,” teammate Jeremiah Smith said at the start of spring camp. “He is going to be the one taking that leap this year. This is do or die for him. This could determine if he is a first-round draft pick, so he knows what is at stake.”

Many of the insiders believe Inniss has the traits to be a first-round pick if he increases his explosiveness and production. After recording 36 receptions for 271 yards and three touchdowns in 2025, the baseline expectation is for him to clear 55+ receptions and significantly increase his yardage to match elite receiver standards.

Inniss has already solidified himself as a leader. He was named team captain and earned the Iron Buckeye award for his work ethic in the facility.

He’s confident in himself that he’s the right man for the job and hopes to claim it through meritocracy: “All the guys are going to be competitive,” Inniss said. “As a receiver room, it’s been like that here at Ohio State for many years before we got here. But whoever does the best job, whoever makes the least amount of mistakes is going to get the job at the end of the day.”

Only time will tell whether he can convert efforts into production.