Ryan Day all but just woke the college football world up to Ohio State’s breakout star to watch
The Ohio State Buckeyes have a wide reciever getting ready to go from unknown to star in Columbus as a transfer addition.
There is no looking past Jeremiah Smith as the focal point of the Ohio State Buckeyes offense in 2026. In his third and final year in Columbus, Ohio State returns Smith as its top pass catcher, and bringing back Julian Sayin for his second year as a starting quarterback is a key development for Ryan Day’s offense.
The storyline worth watching early this season, though, is who will emerge as that second weapon for the Buckeyes when Smith draws double and even triple coverage, a scenario that could play out as early as Week 2 against Texas in Austin.
Based on Day’s recent comments, that player looks like UTSA transfer wide receiver Devin McCuin.
McCuin is someone Ohio State landed early in the transfer portal period last winter. The Buckeyes jumped on him immediately and secured his commitment before word spread that major Power 4 schools were interested. The speedy wideout was productive over multiple seasons at UTSA, and while the step up in competition is real, his track record of explosive plays should translate.
As a freshman in 2023, McCuin posted 546 receiving yards and three touchdowns. He missed four games in 2024 but still recorded 424 yards and five touchdowns. Then last season as a junior, he put up 726 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. McCuin is the kind of wide receiver with speed who could go from relatively unknown on a national level to a future early draft pick, potentially as soon as 2027.
Ryan Day’s praise tells you everything you need to know
Ohio State head coach Ryan Day recently spoke about McCuin in a way that stood out.
“Devin is someone who’s solidified himself pretty quickly as someone that’s going to play a lot of football at the starter level,” Day said. “That was important … making sure we identified him in the portal as the right player. That was big. When you go into the portal it has to be the right fit culturally, but on the field. I remember watching the film of him and it was against A&M, he was just competing his tail off out there.
“You saw him come in in the spring, do some good things. But in the summer, he’s taken off with his body and just the way he’s practiced. And I think a lot of the guys would tell you that he’s as good as we’ve had here.”
Ohio State’s wide receiver room is deep, but McCuin looks to have the edge
Smith is going to be the guy, but McCuin has a chance to be that second receiver in a room filled with options. Players like Brandon Inniss, Brock Boyd, LSU transfer Kyle Parker, talented freshman Chris Henry Jr., Jerquaden Guilford will all potentially have roles for Ohio State. Inniss, Boyd, and Henry are locks to have roles. Returning players like De’Zie Jones and Phillip Bell will also be looking to get into the rotation.
Out of all of them, the 6-foot, 189-pound McCuin has the best chance to be the running mate with Smith as the top two receivers for Ohio State’s offense in 2026. Don’t sleep on the possibility that he gets things started right out of the gates on Saturday against Ball State.
