Ohio State Could Have Two First Round Wide Receivers in the 2027 NFL Draft

Buckeyes' wide receiver Brandon Inniss is pushing for a first round leap while Jeremiah Smith is already considered a top pick.

Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Brandon Inniss (1) celebrates a touchdown by wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) during the Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas for the College Football Playoff quarterfinal game against the Miami Hurricanes on Dec. 31, 2025. Ohio State lost 24-14. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

There is always a next one at Ohio State. Sometimes there are two

That is where this receiver room is starting to feel different. Not just talented. Not just deep. Different in a way that could show up on draft night.

Brandon Inniss is not hiding from what this season means. “I got one year left and I’m going to do everything I can to be a first-round pick,” he said.

Inniss isn’t just trying to lead the room. He’s chasing first round status. And everything about his offseason points to it.

Inniss even passed on an offseason opportunity to join teammates on the Buckeye Cruise, a program event with fans and alumni. There is a catch. Players who go are not eligible for Iron Buckeye.

Why Innis cares so much

For Innis, this was a decision easy. “I wasn’t going for cool,” he said. “I wanted to be THE Buckeye.”

“It means everything,” he added. “That was my number one goal…being one of the hardest workers on the team.”

Because this room needed to see it. “A captain last year doesn’t mean anything to the new guys,” he said. “So I wanted them to know how hard I worked.”

Ohio State has added new pieces at wide receiver. More than usual, including star freshman Chris Henry Jr., adding another layer of talent to an already crowded room.

Inniss welcomes it. “If you play football, you’re a competitor,” he said. “Whoever comes in the room, you want to compete.”

That competition is where this becomes something bigger. Not just one player chasing draft position. A room raising its ceiling.

That is where Jeremiah Smith enters the conversation. If he were eligible for the 2026 NFL Draft, he would already be in the conversation as a top five pick. Fortunately for Ohio State, they get him for at least another season.

Ohio State has seen this pattern before. Garrett Wilson. Chris Olave. Jaxon Smith Njigba. Marvin Harrison Jr. Emeka Egbuka. The blueprint does not change. What makes this different is the overlap.

For Inniss, the path is clear. “I need to be more explosive after the catch,” he said. “When I have the ball in my hands, I got to catch everything. I got to create separation and be dominant on the perimeter.”

Smith is chasing No. 1 overall. Inniss is chasing the first round.

If he gets there, Ohio State won’t just have another future NFL WR1. They'll have two.