Ohio State Represented by Two Standout Wide Receivers in Top 10 NFL Ranking

Well, they've done it again.

Ohio State wide receivers have yet again ended up drawing national attention for performances during the 2025 campaign, but this time, it's the group of former Buckeyes in the NFL.

On Monday, Feb. 16, the top wide receiver numbers from the 2026 season were spotlighted, with Super Bowl champion and former Buckeye Jaxon Smith-Njigba at the top of the list. He finished the year with an incredible 1,793 yards with the Seattle Seahawks. Behind Smith-Njigba, down in eighth place, was New Orleans Saints standout Chris Olave, who finished the campaign with 1,163 yards.

Both Smith-Njigba and Olave dominated the defensive backs they were matched up against this past season.

This type of publicity and recognition is not only good for the continued growth of the program's reputation, but also as a sign to recruits. If a high schooler or transfer student wants to end up making the NFL and becoming a top target, Ohio State is a place that will set them up for that level of success.

Looking back at the receiving leaders from the regular season 🙌

Ohio State was the only school with multiple Top 10 receivers 🌰 pic.twitter.com/JFZuCMKJuv
— The 33rd Team (@The33rdTeamFB) February 16, 2026

An Ohio State Expectation

Prior to becoming some of the league's best wideouts, Smith-Njigba and Olave were once some of the top talents in college ball. From 2018 through 2021, Olave snagged 176 catches for 2,711 yards and 35 touchdowns, while Smith-Njigba, who got less time on the gridiron, grabbed 110 catches for 1,698 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Both were drafted in the first rounds of their respective drafts, with Smith-Njigba going No. 20 back in 2023 and Olave being picked up in the lottery, going No. 11.

Other players who played alongside both Smith-Njigba and Olave, Garrett Wilson and Marvin Harrison Jr., have been great talents in the big leagues. Across four seasons, Wilson's gone for nearly 4,000 yards and 18 touchdowns with the New York Jets. Harrison Jr. has had a more struggle-filled journey, not being able to find a groove with the Arizona Cardinals, hitting a career-high 885 yards back in 2024.

The Buckeyes might have a chance to potentially tack on a few other players to that list over the next few years.

Current NFL wideout Emeka Egbuka, who plays for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, has drawn plenty of traction for his strong rookie campaign, where he hauled in 63 receptions for 938 yards and six touchdowns. Before going on a dry period, he was considered to make a run for Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Alongside Egbuka, a potential 2026 draftee, Carnell Tate is expected to jump onto the scene quickly as well. He's projected to go in the first round, and wherever he goes, he'll have a chance to make an immediate impact on the NFL stage.

Over the past decade or so, the Buckeyes have been known for producing top targets on the offensive side of the ball, and if history continues to repeat itself, that list that sported Smith-Njigba and Olave will only continue to sport plenty more Ohio State wideouts.