CJ Stroud evaluates chemistry with wide receiver room

CJ Stroud is the quarterback of a wide receiver’s dreams. The 6’3 junior is as prolific a passer as there is in the country. Pairing him with the wealth of talent in the Ohio State wide receiver room has then obviously made for one of the best passing attacks in college football. With the departures of Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave to the NFL, though, it’s time for new faces to step up in that corp.

Stroud talked about the chemistry he’s building with his new weapons during media on Thursday. He says it has progressed from spring until now from the best in the room down to the backups.

“I definitely feel like the chemistry has been built in the spring then summer workouts (and) private workouts. Then we’ll keep building it through camp. It’s been a pleasure to build that chemistry more and more during the camp,” said Stroud. “The chemistry from each and every guy, even the twos and threes I’m starting to get used to, is a plus for us.”

Stroud passed for over 4,435 yards and 44 touchdowns in 2021 which were both Top-5 in the nation. Wilson and Olave caught 1,994 yards of those yards, though, and 25 of those touchdowns.

The Buckeyes have their leading receiver in Jaxon Smith-Njigba returning. After his breakout Rose Bowl performance, Marvin Harrison Jr. is back too. However, even with a few other names, that still leaves a lot of production to make up in their offense. Be that as it may, CJ Stroud says he isn’t concerned. He thinks each of his receivers are all-around players yet are also unique enough to play the roles the staff will ask them to this fall.

“They’re all unique in their own ways…I feel like all our receivers are where they’re all around (players). They can do it all. Go deep, break it down, take you inside, take you outside, (and) they all have good releases,” said Stroud. “They’re all unique in their own ways when it comes to their size and how they use their bodies and whatnot. They definitely all impact each other, push each other, and make it competitive in practice to see who wants to do the best.”

The Buckeye wide receiver room has been a rotating door of pro talent in recent seasons. That trend should speak volumes about what these players can be in Columbus. CJ Stroud will need several of them to step up to have similar success in the pass game. When they do, Stroud will have no worries airing it out again this fall.