Q&A With Former Ohio State Receiver Dontre Wilson on Buckeyes’ Schedule and More

Former Ohio State University standout wide receiver Dontre Wilson spent four seasons at the university from 2013-2016. During his tenure in Columbus, he was used as a versatile half back, wide receiver, and occasional running back.

Wilson was an original commit to the University of Oregon but decided to open his options back up after former Ducks head coach Chip Kelly to take the head coaching with the Philadelphia Eagles in January of 2013.

"It's a very difficult decision for me. It took me so long to make it just because the people here are special," Kelly told KEZI-TV. "The challenge obviously is exciting for me, but it's an exciting time and it's a sad time -- saying goodbye to people you love and respect, and I wanted to make sure I talked to my players and did it in the right fashion and talked to our staff. I feel I did."

After the news broke that Kelly would be headed to Philly, Ohio State University head coach Urban Myer and his coaching staff began selling Wilson hard to come to join the Buckeyes. Meyer shared with Wilson that they didn’t have a player like him in their offensive scheme and saw him in a Percy Harvin and Ted Ginn Jr. type of role.

The pitch that Meyer was pitching worked because it swayed Wilson to take a visit to Columbus. Unfortunately, it was during one of the coldest weekends, but Wilson saw enough to help him overlook the weather and commit to OSU during his signing day.

"It was a long hard decision," said Wilson as he picked through the three hats in front of him. "I thought about it a lot, but I'm going to (Ohio State)." "I just feel that coach Meyer has something going there right now," Wilson said. "They could have been national championship last year if they could have went to a bowl game. I think I can do down there and be a good asset to their team. "Landing Wilson is a big get for Ohio State, as Meyer as specifically mentioned the team's dire need for playmakers. Wilson was figured to be the perfect fit in Oregon's dynamic up-tempo offense, but Meyer told the running back that he could accomplish similar feats in the Buckeyes offense. "They said I will get a lot of (playing time)," Wilson said. "I'll also be a great special teams player for the team next year."

In August of 2013 Meyer talked about Wilson having elite speed and had something that they didn’t have.

"He's got something that we didn't have, and that's just electric speed," Meyer told reporters about Wilson. "... He's got jets."

A month later in an article by Bill Rabinowitz of The Columbus Dispatch, Meyer spoke about Wilson being passionate about competing and making a name for himself.

"He's very passionate about competing and he's played very well. Get used to that name here for a few years,” said Meyer.

"It was painfully obvious we didn't have big-play potential last year."

In a recent interview with Ohio State on SI, the former speedster spoke on a variety of topics, which include why he feels the OSU warrants the nickname ‘Wide Receiver U,’ Week two’s rematch with the University of Texas, what he like to see out of Jeremiah Smith and Julian Sayin this upcoming season. The full interview can be found below.

What made you choose Ohio State over everyone else recruiting you out of DeSoto in 2013?

Man, it's a funny story. I committed to Oregon during the spring game of my junior year — I was in love with them, seeing guys with my same body type, like De'Anthony Thomas and LaMichael James, still playing my position. It was a no-brainer.

Going into my senior year, Texas and Ohio State were still on me heavy. Then around March, buzz started that Chip Kelly was leaving Oregon for the NFL. I actually have a picture of the whole Oregon coaching staff at my house — 10, maybe 12 coaches — telling me not to worry, that my spot was safe. Two or three days later, ESPN's ticker said Chip Kelly was now head coach of the Eagles. I was devastated. Right then it showed me — this is a business now.

So I decommitted and reopened my recruiting. Coach Meyer came to my high school — real stern guy, no smiling — and told me straight up: 'My record speaks for itself. I'm a winner, I get guys to the NFL, and we don't have anybody on our team like you.' I visited Ohio State, freezing cold, and they shut the whole stadium down for me. Meyer compared me to Percy Harvin and said the door was wide open if I really wanted to be pushed.

About a month after that visit, I committed to Ohio State on national TV — Oregon hat in the middle, Ohio State on the right, Texas on the left. I was nervous as hell. Ohio State had just gone 12-0 but couldn't go bowling because of the ban, and Oregon had just beaten Kansas State in the Fiesta Bowl. All three were good options. "Then the pitch Coach Meyer gave me — I was like, 'Man, I'm going Ohio State.' They'd just gone 12-0, they had a good team. When I went up there for that visit I was telling you about, I kicked it with Braxton Miller. Braxton might have been a bigger celebrity in Ohio than LeBron James — people don't know that, but Braxton was that guy up there."

2. You mentioned Percy Harvin when Urban Meyer pitched you on how he'd use you. How did he tie in what Percy became into that pitch to get you there? Was there any deeper connection behind that?

Well, first of all, there's nobody like Percy Harvin — that's the part he forgot to leave out. He said, 'I want you to be my Percy Harvin,' but he didn't say I wasn't going to be anything like him. That's a once-in-a-lifetime athlete. But as far as just getting the ball in my hands — period — making certain plays for me, motions, running routes, getting the ball out of the backfield, running the shotgun, and just getting the ball as a quarterback, he threw all of that at me. Like I said, that was like giving candy to a baby — it all sounded great, and that's really what happened, man. He was a man of his word. He gave me every opportunity to be him, or to be something like him, or in that realm, and he gave me all of those opportunities. So it was a good decision in the end.

3. You played both running back and receiver in Columbus — which role did you actually enjoy more, and why?

"Running back, man — that's what I've been all my life. One thing him and Coach Mick (Mickey Marotti) used to preach is that if you're gonna carry the ball for us, you've gotta gain some weight. And I said, just tell them, man, it's gonna slow me down. Just give me the ball. It don't matter how much I weigh — once you see me get this ball in my hands and do what I do, you're gonna appreciate it. I wish we could've bulked up a little bit, put on a little more muscle, but kept me around the same weight, so that speed and quickness could stay there. But I enjoy running back, man. I played running back all my life, from the very first time I played football in little league, and also in flag. I had the ball in my hands — I didn't have to run a route."

4. How did competing in the 60-meter dash for the Ohio State track team change the way you approached football speed and conditioning?

I mean, just running track all my life. Down here in Texas, summer track is big, so I always run track. I never liked it, though. But as I saw how my speed translated to the football field, I knew it was necessary — I knew I had to do it whether I liked it or not. I knew it was going to help me stay healthy and stay faster than my opponents. So, I took it very seriously, man, and that was really a main thing going into my college decision as well. Like, man, I need to run track. I don't have to do it. That's part of my life, that's part of my routine, and that'll continue to keep me a good football player. I need speed, that's what I'm known for. So, when Coach Mick allowed me to do it, I took full advantage of it.

5. Looking back at your 428 rushing yards and 925 receiving yards as a Buckeye, is there one specific game or catch that still stands out to you?

My favorite catch was the one against Virginia Tech, my sophomore year. I still don't know how I caught it, but that was a hell of a catch. I want to say I ran the wrong route too — but you know, that's tricky, prime-time game at night against Virginia Tech. We lost that game in two [OT], so that just shows you how big of a game it was, and I made that catch, man. That was something I'll never forget. And then probably the catch I made a few games after that, against Michigan State — I was having a pretty bad game. I dropped a touchdown and fumbled a kick return, so I was just having an off night. But I bounced back in the end and caught a game-sealing touchdown in that game, and man, that really catapulted us to the postseason and on to winning the first College Football Playoff.

6. Since you were picking between Ohio State and Texas almost 13 years ago, and they're playing each other again this year. What are your thoughts on both programs heading into the season, especially with them facing off in Week 2, and both trying to get back to national relevance after last year?

I'm just happy to see Texas balling again, man. These past few years, a lot of people gave Texas a hard time because growing up, Texas was always used to getting the best kids in the state. Now a lot of kids are going elsewhere to play football, so I'm just glad to see them balling again. I'd actually like to go to that game — now that you mention it, I've been telling my dad we should go, or at least go to Austin, be a part of some of the festivities.

But yeah, I already know what we're gonna do, man. Ryan Day hasn't stepped back, and he's keeping the ball rolling. As long as we keep getting the players we need, they're gonna get it right. They've got Julian, they've got Jeremiah, they've got my little homie Brock (Boyd) — he's gonna go ball out. I hope they give him some burn, let him show what he can do from Southlake Carroll. They've got the little homie(Legend Be) from North Forney, a hell of an athlete. They've got some killers out there, so it's gonna be another good season for us. I just hope we stay healthy and make another deep run, hopefully be right back to where we were last year. We slipped up a little bit — it was just Indiana's time. Everybody had their run, but one thing about it, we're always gonna be there. You're always gonna see that scarlet and gray. Everybody's gonna be talking about Ohio State when it comes to the postseason. So hopefully we ride it hard this year and get in there where we need to be, and some of those plays we missed last year that could've won us the game — everybody steps up and makes those plays this time.

And as long as we beat the team up north, I'm always happy. I never lost to them, I tell them that all the time. They were talking a lot those few years they were beating us, but I tell them all the time — every time around the game, I always make my infamous post, gotta throw a little salt at them. But yeah, long as we beat them, we ride off into the postseason with a good record. We're gonna be all right. I think both of those teams will do a good job this year.

7. What's the biggest piece of advice you'd give a DeSoto kid who's about to leave home for a program like Ohio State?

You gotta go up there prepared, man. My teammate Michael Thomas — he plays for the Saints — told me, 'You gotta learn how to play the game and outwork everybody.' It's not just a game anymore, it's a business, especially with NIL — they're paying y'all now. For three or four years, football has to be everything. After that, once you've accomplished your dream, you can live life.

But it shows the people around you whether you're really serious — if you're making excuses to skip extra work, you don't really want it, because there's a million other kids out there who want the same thing. Maybe 100,000 of them are really on it, and those are the ones who make it. It's up to you to put in the extra work every chance you get. Cancel out the outside noise, get in the books, study the film and the playbook, and take it seriously. Keep your body healthy — take advantage of the resources they give you.

In the end, you'll appreciate it when they call your name on draft day, and you'll remember all the hard work and sleepless nights that got you there. So I'd tell these kids — not just DeSoto kids, all of them — it's hard to make it to the NFL, probably harder than any other league, because there aren't that many spots. Every team's got a 53-man roster, and it's already full. You've got to go up there and take one of those spots.

8. If you could do NIL the way it's done now, who would you want to partner with — people back home at DeSoto, or folks in Columbus? They're giving out millions every year now.

My main thing, I'd probably try to partner with a lot of people in Columbus, because that's where you're at — those are the people you can reach out and touch quicker, as opposed to somebody back home in Texas. But I'm also a huge car guy — I've got a few cars myself — so I'd definitely rub shoulders with car people, car lots, shop owners, that kind of thing. I'd have been into that for sure. I also would've given some love to people back home, but I think the smarter move is to reach out to the people right around the corner — right here in Columbus, or even Cleveland or Cincinnati, that's just a two- or three-hour drive. That's a lot easier than trying to make something work from 16-17 hours away back home.

9. Ohio State has won a national championship since your playing days — what did it mean to watch the program reach that peak?

I'd be happy, man — same thing for DeSoto. Just to see it and know that's where you came from, it's a blessing. I'd be excited even if we hadn't won, just to see those guys go out there and ball and get the recognition they deserve. It's a beautiful thing. We go out there every year, and Ohio State is always the talk of the town — same with Alabama, Georgia, LSU, all those teams. So when you can say, 'Hey, I came from that,' it's a beautiful thing. You can't help but be happy for them.

Same thing for DeSoto — happy as hell that people are considering DeSoto a powerhouse, which we always were. We had some great teams that just didn't win it all — great players, guys who've been in the NFL for years — but they didn't win those big games. Still, they came from that. So just being able to add your name to that legacy, man, it's a blessing.

10. Jaxon Smith-Njigba just won a Super Bowl. As a former Buckeye receiver yourself, what stood out to you about his game translating to that level?

Man, I've been watching Jax since he was in high school. He went to Rockwall, and I think I watched him play twice in high school — he's been going crazy like that forever, so it wasn't a surprise to me. Even that first touchdown he had, that toe-tap catch — crazy catch, but I wasn't surprised. I already knew what was coming. I'm proud of that young brother, he's up there doing his thing. He just got that big contract — life changed forever. He can change his future kids' lives, his family's life. It's a beautiful thing coming from where we're from, because a lot of people don't get those types of opportunities — there's so many guys just like you, and for you to go in there and stand out like that, that's special.

Just think about it, man — Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson, Terry McLaurin, Noah Brown, Mike Thomas, Emeka Egbuka, Curtis Samuel, Ted Ginn Jr., Parris Campbell just retired, but he was there too. You've got this long list of guys, and then you've got Jeremiah. But the main thing is, all these guys say Jax might really be the best one out of all of us. For you to get that from your peers, and your peers being at that high level, man — that's a beautiful thing. So, I wish nothing but the best for the young brother. I don't know him like that, but I hope he stays healthy, keeps going, and keeps taking care of his family.

11. How do you think he'll use the disrespect from Drewski — like the misspelling of his name on the trophy — as motivation to go rock the league again next year?

"From what I know about Jax, I don't think he pays that any mind. I think he's a real humble, down-to-earth guy — he just goes out there with one thing on his mind: rack up yards, catch the ball, and get after it. He does that day in and day out, every week — it's hard to miss. We all know it was a joke. But when you're a person of his stature and you've put yourself up that high, if they're talking about you, that's good publicity — as long as you're not doing anything wrong. As long as they're still talking, they're keeping your name relevant. It's all good. He's just gonna keep on balling out. Like I said, I just pray he stays healthy. Sky's the limit for that young brother.

12. Watching Buckeyes, you once shared a locker room mentality with go on to win titles — does it feel like validation of the standard Ohio State holds players to?

Hell yeah, excuse my language, hell yeah! It's championship or nothing, man. If we lose a game and don't bounce back and win it all, we're hurt.

I applaud Coach Day, Coach Meyer, and Coach Tressel for instilling that in us, we're not just here to play football, we're trying to win championships, trying to be great, trying to be legendary. We're trying to mark our names in stone, hang up those banners, be talked about forever.

Even after we're dead and gone, they'll still talk about that 2015 team, we won that very first one. Nobody can take that away from us. That's definitely the culture of that program."

13. If you were going to compare Ohio State to an NBA Franchise which one would it be?

"Either the Lakers or the Celtics, bro. Been balling forever, been relevant, got the rings and the trophies to back it up. Very storied program, all the way back to Woody Hayes. One of the oldest programs in college football, too. We've got the only guy to win a Heisman twice, Troy Smith won one. Almost every year we've had a quarterback in the Heisman race or as a finalist. Great running backs like Eddie George, Zeke and J.K. Dobbins, great defensive ends all the way to Chase Young, Nick Bosa, Joey Bosa. We've got a whole plethora of great football players across the board, whether they're from up north or down south. It's a very storied program, man, so I'd definitely say the Lakers or the Celtics."

14. Julian Sayin is stepping into a huge role at quarterback this season. What does he specifically need to do to get Ohio State back into national title contention?

What he did last year, that was his first time really going through all of that, man. He's on the biggest stage, so he knows what to do, he knows what comes with it. Like I said earlier, a lot of those mistakes, those plays that didn't go his way or that he missed, maybe he'll see those now. That just comes with getting your feet wet. That's a hell of a spot to jump into, being a starting quarterback at Ohio State after guys like J.T. Barrett, Terrelle Pryor, Troy Smith, Braxton Miller, Cardale Jones, C.J. Stroud, and Dwayne Haskins, RIP to him. For him to step up and fill those shoes, that's a big thing, and he did it last year. Now he knows what to expect. Now he knows, 'I can strut my stuff a little bit this year, I know what I'm doing. They gave me the keys to the Lamborghini, I'm gonna drive it.' He's gonna be straight. Yeah, he's gonna be good.

15. What's the biggest difference between a quarterback who manages a talented Ohio State roster and one who actually elevates it?

Being able to be a true leader, one thing I could say about JT is he held all of us accountable and made us a well-oiled machine. Him getting on our ass, making us do the extra work, watch film, things like that made us a better team, and it built camaraderie with the receivers. The relationship he had with the O-line, that's huge too, bro. People don't realize that, but being real friends with the guy next to you in a football game, that matters, because y'all gonna hold each other accountable without putting each other down. There's a huge difference between yelling at somebody and putting them down versus pushing them and building them up. That, to me, is a true example of a real leader. Even if you've only got okay guys, if they all play hard as hell together, y'all gonna look like a damn good team. That's the true meaning of being a real leader to me, rather than just trying to be a motivator.

16. What are your early thoughts on Jeremiah Smith heading into this season — what do you expect from him as a focal point of that offense?

He gonna ball the hell out, man. Like I said about Julian, now you know what to expect. It ain't like you're going out there closing your eyes and hoping something sticks. Now you're the man, you know what they're gonna throw at you, you know they're gonna try to double team you. So now you know how to get out there and get yours. Ryan Day's gonna make sure that ball is put in his hands the way it needs to be, make sure he gets his as the best receiver in college football. It's gonna be imperative that he gets his, and it ain't just talk, he's out there doing it every week, dude. The monster. I didn't realize he was big, big as hell, about the same size as Mike Thomas, and Mike Thomas was huge. Freshman year they tried to say it was all hype, but last year he went out there and did it again. So, this year I think he's coming with a chip on his shoulder. I just pray these young brothers stay healthy, man, that's part of football. If he stays healthy, he's gonna go out there and do what he was put on this earth to do, and that's catch the football.

17. As a former receiver yourself, what's one technical or mental adjustment you'd tell Jeremiah Smith to focus on to take his game to the next level?

It ain't much to tell him, man. The only thing I'd say I wish he'd do a little more is aggressive, use that size. Treat these DBs like little kids, get them out the way, they shouldn't even be on the field with you. That's one thing I learned from watching Mike. Mike used to really Deebo dudes, 6'3", 6'4", 225, pushing these boys out the way. They throw that ball up to you, little bro, go get it every time. Just stay healthy, stay in the books, and everything you want is gonna come your way. But I can't tell you what to do — you're the best receiver out there. I just pray you stay healthy, little bro.

18. How important is the chemistry between Sayin and Smith going to be if Ohio State wants to make another run at a championship?

It's very important, bro. I guarantee you they've probably got one of the best relationships ever, they probably kick it outside of football, hang out, watch film together, talk on the phone even though they're right around the corner on campus. That's huge. Speaking of other teams and staff, your receivers should have a good relationship with your quarterback. I'm pretty sure they've got a tight relationship, because they're pretty much doing this together, growing up together at Ohio State. They both came into this stardom together, that's his quarterback, and that's gonna be his quarterback until he walks out that door. So, I'm sure they've got a great relationship, and it's very important to have that, not just with your coaches, but with the guy throwing the ball at you.

19. What does this year's Ohio State team need to prove early in the season to be taken seriously as title contenders?

I just hope we come out aggressive, man, unlike that Texas game. That was really slow. I watched the whole thing, and I felt like we could've taken a lot more shots, scored earlier and faster, and ran the ball better. If the opportunities are there, seize them. If you've got Jeremiah one-on-one, I'm throwing it, he's going deep, I don't care what play we called. Jeremiah, go catch the ball, boom, we're good. I think we should jump out in these first few games, put our foot down, and assert our dominance, not just over these teams, but over the whole college football landscape.

20. With Ohio State's track record of turning out champions on and off the field, where do you see the program five years from now?

Exactly where they're at now every preseason, top five, if not one or two. I see at least two, maybe three more rings, because the guys coming in are just as good as the guys we've got now. We've got the number one receiver in the 2025 class, Chris Henry Jr., already up there, and the number one receiver in the 2026 class, Jamier Brown, coming up too. He's from Ohio, I think he went to the same high school Braxton [Miller] went to. We're just gonna keep getting these kids, man, and that's a good thing about Ohio State. Not only are we producing, but the program looks good, so kids want to come play football for us. I think we're gonna stay right where we've always been. Ryan Day's gonna keep doing his thing, Coach Mick's gonna have the guys ready and strong during the offseason, and once spring ball and camp come around, we're gonna ball out. We're gonna go into every season doing the same thing we've been doing. I don't think anything's gonna change.

21. What's next for you — how are you staying connected to the game, whether through coaching, mentoring, or something else entirely?

I've been kind of on the low, but I've been in the process of finishing my degree in Criminology, I graduate this fall. What I plan on doing, and what I've always wanted to do, is stay around football. I'm gonna shoot for a GA job at one of these schools, we'd love for it to be at Ohio State and start my coaching career there. I want to coach collegiately, and if I get the opportunity at one of these universities, I'm gonna take it. In the end, after all the college stuff and the NFL stuff, I'd like to be the head coach at my high school, that's my end goal. But coming up next, that's what I got planned, I'm gonna walk across that stage and start my college coaching career.

22. You guys call yourselves Wide Receiver University, but LSU might have something to say about that, and USC might too. Since you'll eventually have to play both of those schools, what's your case for why Ohio State is really Wide Receiver University?

"Man, the past 10 years, that's all you gotta say. These guys are going first round, not round six, five, or seven, not undrafted free agents. These are guys teams want to invest in and spend money on because they think they can come change their team. LSU's got a case too, but there been that many. You got OBJ, Jarvis Landry, Justin Jefferson, Ja'Marr Chase, Malik Nabers, Brian Thomas Jr., Kayshon Boutte, Terrace Marshall Jr. They've got some talent up there. But Ohio State just continues to go, continues to go. Who's gonna be next? We just got Chris Henry, and Jeremiah Smith, Jamier Brown, is the number one receiver in his class, who went to Braxton's old high school. And Brock, man, Brock's nice, he was one of the best receivers in the state of Texas himself, the kid from Southlake Carroll. That's my little homie; I used to train him. They're gonna keep on doing it, man. You got JSN, you got Marvin Harrison Jr. They've got a plethora."

23. What do you think about Jett Harrison coming in as part of the 2028 class to follow his brother?

We already knew there would've been a fight at home if he hadn't gone to Ohio State, so I already knew he was coming. That goes to show that once one leaves, the next one comes in, and that's just a product of being Ohio State. You can be mad at it, but you can't do anything about it. that

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