Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Garrett Wilson (5) celebrates a touchdown catch with Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) against Purdue Boilermakers during the 1st quarter of their NCAA game at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio on November 13, 2021. Osu21pur Kwr 06 Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Ohio State Buckeyes Get More Proof They Are ‘Wide Receiver U’

Originally posted on Ohio State Buckeyes on SI
By Jacob Harrison | Last updated May 26, 2025 11:45 AM ET

College Football programs always take pride in the players they send to the next level. But there’s a little something extra for the positions each school is known for. Alabama has defensive linemen. Notre Dame has tight ends, Penn State linebackers. Iowa has punters. But the fight for ‘Wide Receiver U’ has been long-contested.

Ohio State fans know the other programs in the hunt are punching up at the Buckeyes, though. The numbers back it up.

Deeg Sports, a small X account that focuses on the intersection of college and professional sports, gives college football fans more ammunition for their water cooler debates about the sport’s most prestigious programs. They recently shared a video that helps prove that Ohio State is, in fact, ‘Wide Receiver U.’

Wide Receiver Receiving Yards in the NFL — By College (1966-2024) pic.twitter.com/SUwPl1jK5v
— Deeg (@DeegSports) May 19, 2025

The video features a time-lapse of the top-performing NFL wide receivers throughout the Super Bowl era, since 1966. By the time it stops after the 2024 season, Ohio State stands above the rest, with a chance to build on its lead. According to DeegSports, Ohio State wide receivers have racked up 117,696 yards, more than 15,000 yards over the next program, Miami.

While Miami appears to be out of position to catch up to the Buckeyes anytime soon, the LSU Tigers are making a run thanks to stars like Ja’Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson, Malik Nabers, and a few others. LSU’s receivers have accounted for 98,185 yards.

LSU Is Gaining Ground, but OSU's WR Pipeline Remains Elite

Ohio State cracked the top 10 of the leaderboard in the mid-90s, while LSU didn’t do so until 2005. Nonetheless, the Tigers have been closing the gap quickly. But claiming the title of ‘Wide Receiver U’ might still be out of their grasp thanks to the volume of young Buckeye receivers in the league.

Terry McLaurin, Marvin Harrison Jr., Chris Olave, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and Garrett Wilson are the top names, with others like Emeka Egbuka and Jeremiah Smith soon having their opportunity to make their mark. Still, it’ll be a fun race to witness since LSU’s top two contributors are already rightfully considered the two best receivers in the league.

Still, the notion of being the league’s ‘Position U’ is about volume of high-quality talent, not having a handful of the league’s best players. For comparison, Ohio State has 10 total wide receivers in the NFL today. Seven are first-string options. LSU has seven wide receivers in the league, and only four are first-string options. That’s a recipe for the Buckeyes’ lead on the claim to continue to grow.

This article first appeared on Ohio State Buckeyes on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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