Pair of second-year Buckeyes crack annual college football Freaks List

COLUMBUS — Ohio State has elite athletes littered all across the entire roster. It’s among the best collections of talent in the country.

The Buckeyes have been widely projected to be in the College Football Playoff this fall, and that’s because of the amount of high-level athletes they have. And it’s showing up everywhere.

As the season draws closer, Bruce Feldman from The Athletic released his annual college football Freaks List, and a pair of rising Ohio State stars cracked the top 100. Wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. is No. 2 in the country on the list, topped only by Michigan defensive tackle Mazi Smith. And Buckeyes defensive tackle Tyleik Williams checked in at No. 66, continuing his incredible rise as a national name to know.

Lettermen Row is breaking down how each of the Buckeyes freaks got to this point — and how they can break out this fall. Let’s dive in.

Wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.

As a recruit: Harrison Jr. was the No. 3 receiver and No. 28 overall player in the class of 2021, according to On3. The son and namesake of a Pro Football Hall of Famer, Harrison Jr. caught passes from five-star recruit and current Buckeyes quarterback Kyle McCord in high school.

As a potential star: Didn’t the Rose Bowl provide enough proof? Harrison Jr. was gaining steam throughout the season last year, and it all came together in Pasadena as the Buckeyes were without their top two receivers. Harrison went out and grabbed three touchdowns, helping Ohio State top Utah. And then he hit the offseason ready to become a star. Odds of that happening are high; Harrison has a chance to be special for the Buckeyes passing attack this fall. His rare size and skillset give him the chance. According to Feldman, Harrison Jr. benched 380 pounds and did 22 reps of 225 pounds on the bench to go along with his elite top-end speed and his 6-foot-3 frame.

Defensive tackle Tyleik Williams

As a recruit: Williams was a four-star recruit and top-200 prospect but he was a bit underrated nationally, and the Buckeyes found him down in Virginia. Williams ended his recruitment as the No. 18 defensive tackle in the 2021 recruiting class. After dominating at Unity Reed High School, he picked the Buckeyes to be developed by Larry Johnson.

As a potential star: Williams was part of the same recruiting class as three top-100 prospects along the defensive line, but he might have been the most impressive during his freshman season. He racked up 6.5 tackles for loss and five sacks during his first campaign with the Buckeyes, setting him up to have a breakout season this fall. Williams shed 40 pounds in the offseason to be better-suited to be a star for the Buckeyes.