Ohio State’s status as WR-U looks secured for the future after the Buckeyes received their first pledge from an elite wide receiver in the 2029 recruiting class. To top it off, Ryan Day is already envisioning a role for the California prospect similar to the one given to Jeremiah Smith.

Austin Miller, the 2029 WR from Bellflower High School, committed to Ohio State within 48 hours after his visit to the program. Now, he details what prompted him to choose Ryan Day’s team over the likes of Miami, Oregon, and USC.

“So he [Ryan Day] said that I’m going to be playing both inside and outside, which is something that a lot of people don’t know about me, but I can do a lot of damage in the slot,” Miller said in his appearance at the Buckeye Talk podcast on July 3. “So I’ll be playing inside and outside, and he said that they’re kind of going to try to use me, the same way that they use Jeremiah Smith in certain aspects.”

Historically, Ohio State wide receivers had to wait for their turn in stacked rosters. But Jeremiah Smith is a once-in-a-generation talent. In his freshman season, he accumulated 1,315 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns on 76 receptions. He followed that up with 1,243 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns on 87 receptions last year.

Right from the onset, Ryan Day knew he had an exceptional talent at his disposal. So, Smith wasn’t deployed just as a perimeter threat. Of course, he was given 50/50 jump balls. At the same time, the Buckeyes used pre-snap motion and jet sweeps to get Smith the ball.

Day has a similar plan for Miller. He wants to fully utilize the WR’s potential rather than pinning him down to a single wideout position. So far, Miller has shown a very similar game style to Smith in his high school career.

The WR caught 35 passes for 609 yards and eight touchdowns. At the same time, he also had 883 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground. The scouts have a special nickname for the 15-year-old: ‘The Chosen One.’ He is predicted to be the No. 1 overall wide receiver and potentially the No. 1 overall player in the Class of 2029.

Austin Miller’s recruitment saga

For Austin Miller, it did not take much thought to choose Ryan Day’s program, and within 48 hours he took his pledge. The Buckeyes met all of Miller’s needs by providing him with everything he wanted on and off the field, including education. He visited Columbus from June 19-21. The coaching staff made him feel welcome throughout his recruitment, which attracted him to the program.

“As soon as I walked in, I met Coach Day. I met Coach Hankton,” Miller said. “I met Coach Jordan. Coach Day actually took me into his office, and we talked about football. We talked about how he was going to use me for the next 3 to four years for over an hour. And I spent most of the day with Coach Hankton, walking around with him, talking with him.”

Miller chose Ohio State over an offer from USC in January, when he was just 14 years old. During his visit to Columbus, he already 20 offers in his bag, including Miami, Oregon, Michigan, and UCLA, all of whom are still pursuing him. Landing a touted player like him was a big win for the WR coach, Cortez Hankton, who had just joined the Buckeyes’ staff in Jan 2026.