It’s on to the next position group in our G.O.A.T series here on Buckeyes Wire and it’s a position group that might have a new entry in a few years with what’s coming to the program. That’s for a later time though because there’s been plenty of wide-receiver talent already in the history of the program.
In fact, for a team that has historically been one predicated on three yards and a cloud of dust, there’s some pretty remarkable athletes that decided to try and bank that trend even before the latest opening up of the offense.
So off we go. Here’s the four best wide-receivers in the history of the Ohio State program, in no particular order.
Next … An immediate impact
David Boston (1996-1998)
So, who’s the greatest receiver in Ohio State’s storied history?
Statistically speaking, it’s David Boston. He ranks first in career receptions, first in career touchdowns, and second in receiving yardage. He also posted the best single season by a Buckeye receiver, catching 85 passes for 1,435 yards in 1998. That total includes a 217-yard effort against TTUN, sparking OSU to a 31-16 victory.
Boston also had a successful NFL career, playing eight years in the league. His best season was 2001, when he had 98 catches for 1,598 yards, which was good enough to earn a spot in the Pro Bowl.
Next … Holy Buckeye!
Michael Jenkins (2001-2003)
Even the most casual Buckeye fan remembers the second play in this video. Faced with a fourth-and-one at the Purdue 36, Craig Krenzel found Jenkins in the end zone for the game-winning touchdown. This score kept Ohio State’s perfect season intact and ultimately led to a berth in the national championship game. You know the rest of the story from there.
While the commentators seemed shocked at this play call, it actually makes sense looking back on it. After all, Jenkins is the school record holder in receiving yards (2,898) and third in OSU history in catches (157). More impressively, he caught at least one pass in 38 straight games, including four in the 2003 Fiesta Bowl.
Jenkins played 12 seasons in the NFL, catching 354 passes for 4,827 yards and 25 touchdowns.
Next … An NFL Hall of Famer
Cris Carter (1984-1986)
Admit it: as soon as you saw the name, you thought of Chris Berman quipping, “all he does is catch touchdowns.”
All kidding aside: Carter was one of the best – if not the best – receivers to wear the Scarlet and Gray. He ranks fourth in school history in receiving yardage, third in touchdowns, and second in receptions. He also posted the third-best individual season by a Buckeye receiver in 1986, hauling in 69 passes for 1,127 yards. Not surprisingly, he was a consensus All-American that year.
His stats could have been even bigger had he not left college early because of an issue with working with an agent while still an amateur. Actually, it appears that agent knew what he was talking about.
As great as he was in college, Carter was even better in the NFL. In sixteen NFL seasons, he caught 1,101 passes for 13,899 yards, and 130 touchdowns. He led the league in receiving touchdowns three times (1995, 1997, 1999) and was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2013.
Next … The newest of the best
Devin Smith (2011-2014)
Smith might be the most explosive player to stretch the field the Buckeyes have ever had. In four seasons at OSU, he averaged 20.7 yards per catch and scored 30 touchdowns – the second-best total in school history.
And yet, he’s still a bit underrated.
While Smith posted some great numbers in his career, I put him on this list because of his penchant for coming up with big plays. Whether it was catching a touchdown pass from Braxton Miller to beat Wisconsin, or hauling in a 47-yard strike to put the final nail in Alabama’s coffin in the College Football Playoff, Smith always had a way of coming up with a huge catch when the team needed it the most.
Unfortunately, he hasn’t had much success in the NFL (yet) thanks to two ACL injuries. But given what we saw him do at OSU, there’s no reason to think that he won’t succeed if he can finally stay healthy and get another crack.
