Scarlet Sunrise: Ohio State wide receiver talent had 'huge impact' on Will Howard's transfer
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Ohio State wide receiver talent had ‘huge impact’ on Will Howard’s transfer
Marvin Harrison Jr. is gone, but that doesn’t mean the Monarc pass-catching machine isn’t getting put to good use in the Woody Hayes Athletic Center.
Less than an hour after former Kansas State quarterback Will Howard talked to the local media and shared his story about his hardships at K-State as well as his reasoning for transferring to Ohio State, Buckeyes wide receivers Reis Stocksdale and Emeka Egbuka trotted out to the practice field to catch passes.
“The thing that’s impressed me the most, especially the receiver room,” Howard said, “is how driven they are and how much they want to work. I don’t have to go out there and beg these guys to go catch.
“I mean, they’re already out here, catching on the JUGS when I come out to throw. They’re incredibly hard working. Just all across the room.”
Howard’s words came to life, as Stocksdale — a preferred walk-on — and Egubka — a star who put the NFL Draft on pause to return for his senior season — were getting in reps on that Tuesday afternoon in late January amid the thick of winter workouts.
The combination of work ethic and talent is a recipe for top-flight success in the Ohio State receiver room. Harrison was perhaps the best example of that, and now he’s poised to be the fourth Buckeyes wideout in the last three years picked in the first round of the NFL Draft.
When asked about the influence of the Ohio State receivers, Howard explained that the Buckeyes being locked and loaded at the position had a “huge impact” on his decision.
“I love my guys at K-State, and I have nothing bad to say about them,” the fifth-year quarterback said. “But I mean the talent here is unbelievable.”
Howard’s first year at Kansas State, his leading receiver was running back Deuce Vaughn, who’s electric with the ball in his hands but stands 5-foot-5. Howard’s last year with the Wildcats, his top receiver was tight end Ben Sinnott. Vaughn is with the Dallas Cowboys, and Sinnott is league-bound, but the point stands.
Howard will be surrounded by future NFL wide receivers at Ohio State. That will help him showcase his arm better than he could in a run-heavy Wildcats offense.
“I mean, we got dudes like Carnell [Tate] and Brandon Inniss and obviously Emeka and all those guys. I mean, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Like, there’s so much talent in that room. Being able to throw to guys like that makes my job a lot easier.”
Howard was then asked about the newest Buckeyes wideout, Jeremiah Smith, the On3 Industry Ranking’s top overall prospect in the 2024 recruiting cycle.
Smith — already an impressive 6-foot-3, 215 pounds — is expected to make an immediate difference in the Ohio State receiver room.
“He’s a dude, man,” Howard said of the Hollywood, Florida, native. “I haven’t gotten to talk to him that much yet just because we’ve been in different groups lifting and stuff.
“But, man, he’s a specimen. I mean, that dude is a freak show when it comes to physical. I’m excited to see him out on the field in live action.”
Howard will probably see Smith out there on the Monarc with other Buckeyes receivers long before that.
At Ohio State, Seth McLaughlin hopes to put trying 2023 in the past
Seth McLaughlin’s final game, and season, at Alabama was marred by bad snaps. Something so routine as snapping became an issue for McLaughlin, who has been playing the position since he was 7.
“When you go through something like that, you kind of have to sit down and look at yourself and be like, ‘OK, who am I as a person? What am I?’” he said.
“And I kind of just sat down and thought about, ‘Where can I go from here?’ I can’t control what happened in the past. I can’t control what happened in that game. I can’t control the public reaction to that.”
After his disastrous Rose Bowl College Football Playoff semifinal, McLaughlin entered the transfer portal.
Less than a week later, he committed to the Buckeyes. Now, he’s hoping to move on from a difficult 2023 and help Ohio State win a national title in 2024.
For the full story, go here.
Roster Reset: Evaluating Buckeyes reloading linebackers room
Lettermen Row’s “Roster Reset” series continued with a look inside the Buckeyes’ linebacker room, which is reloading following the NFL departures of starters Tommy Eichenberg and Steele Chambers.
Cody Simon is expected to fill Eichenberg’s shoes as the MIKE, but who will man the WILL spot? There’s a lot to talk about regarding the second level of the Ohio State defense.
We get into it here.
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- Roster Reset: Evaluating Ohio State special teams units
- Roster Reset: Evaluating Ohio State offensive line after lackluster 2023
- Roster Reset: Examining Buckeyes retooled tight end room
- Roster Reset: Examining Buckeyes wide receiver room, potential depth chart
- Roster Reset: Examining Buckeyes loaded running back room
- Roster Reset: Examining Buckeyes reshaped quarterback room
Counting down
Buckeyes vs. Akron: 212 days
Buckeyes vs. Michigan: 303 days
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