Everyone is well aware that Jeremiah Smith will be the focal point of Ohio State’s offense in 2026 in his third, and what he’s already confirmed, his final year in Columbus before he makes the jump to the NFL. The questions surrounding the Buckeyes’ wide receiver room beyond Smith are real, though, and they haven’t had this level of uncertainty at the position in a number of years.

Ohio State has unproven talent behind Jeremiah Smith

The wide receiver room isn’t bad by any means. The Buckeyes just have unproven players, at least unproven in Columbus. Ohio State is still hoping for a senior breakout from wide receiver Brandon Inniss, and he’s likely to be a team captain for the second year in a row. That goes to show what he means for this team.

Inniss was the No. 3 option at wide receiver last year behind Smith and Carnell Tate. In the most ideal world, the Buckeyes would love him to take a big leap into being a 1,000-yard receiver and the second option to Smith this season. As a former five-star recruit in the class of 2023, Inniss has never been able to fully put it together at Ohio State. His best season came last year when he had 36 catches for 271 yards receiving and three touchdowns in 14 games.

His inability to break out has forced some takes from Ohio State fans online, voicing their displeasure with what he’s been for the wide receiver room. The Ohio State receiver opened up on that this week.

“It doesn’t bother me at all. People are going to think what they’re going to think, and that’s just people talking. It doesn’t bother me at all, and I know what I can believe in,” Inniss said.

“I know what I can do, and the coaches see it, see it in the building, and they believe in me as well, or else I wouldn’t be on the field. Because at the end of the day, the coaches are going to put the best around the field, and that’s what it is.”

Brandon Inniss is the favorite to start at slot receiver

Inniss is the favorite to be Ohio State’s starting slot receiver this fall. At this point, it looks like UTSA transfer Devin McCuin is favored to be that third starting receiver for the Buckeyes alongside Smith and Inniss. Freshmen Chris Henry Jr. and Brock Boyd as well as LSU transfer Kyle Parker are expected to see the field too. 

He’s a 6-foot, 199-pound wideout who isn’t a special athlete, not overly fast, and he doesn’t run the crispest routes. Still, he’s an ultra competitor, the team rallies around him, and he’s a hard worker.

Now in his fourth season at Ohio State, Inniss could opt to stay for a fifth year. Breaking out for the Buckeyes would be huge for his career and for a team that needs him to produce in some form this season. The confidence is clearly there, now he has to show it on the field.