Jaxon Smith-Njibga admits he forgot the one former Ohio State receiver he shouldn’t have in his Buckeyes Mt. Rushmore
Several current and former Ohio State Buckeyes have listed their “Mt. Rushmore” of the program’s deep list of amazing receivers, and some left out heavy-hitters. Jeremiah Smith left out Chris Olave, Santonio Holmes, and Emeka Egbuka, for example. It’s a tough task, and current Seattle Seahawks star Jaxon Smith-Njigba found out the hard way. While […]
Several current and former Ohio State Buckeyes have listed their “Mt. Rushmore” of the program’s deep list of amazing receivers, and some left out heavy-hitters. Jeremiah Smith left out Chris Olave, Santonio Holmes, and Emeka Egbuka, for example. It’s a tough task, and current Seattle Seahawks star Jaxon Smith-Njigba found out the hard way.
While the man affectionately known as “JSN” hasn’t had his top five career Buckeye receivers list published yet, we know one NFL Hall of Famer who didn’t make it. He admitted on X that he forgot Cris Carter. Carter is almost unanimously the one lock for most fans.
“I did my top 5 career receivers at Ohio state in an interview yesterday, and forgot Chris Carter ?♂️. I can never get the list right! Too many greats. Ohio state is ALL TIME WRU,” Smith-Njigba tweeted.
Smith-Njigba’s single-season explosion in 2021 remains unmatched. His 95 receptions for 1,606 yards set Ohio State single-season records, capped by a 347-yard, three-touchdown Rose Bowl performance against Utah—both single-game program records. Despite a hamstring injury derailing his 2022 season, his 2021 brilliance earned him a first-round selection (20th overall) by the Seahawks in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Smith-Njigba’s one-year wonder status underscores his elite potential, with his 2024 NFL breakout (1,130 yards, six touchdowns) proving his college dominance was no fluke.
However, Carter’s career is a funny oversight. Carter was a trailblazer in the 1980s, redefining the Buckeyes’ passing game when the team leaned heavily on the run. From 1984 to 1986, Carter amassed 168 receptions, 2,725 yards, and 27 touchdowns, setting program records at the time for receptions and touchdown catches.
His acrobatic grabs earned him consensus All-American honors in 1986 and two All-Big Ten selections. Carter’s legacy as Ohio State’s first iconic receiver endures, with his fifth-ranked career receptions and touchdowns still notable despite the evolution of the passing game.
His dominance led to a fourth-round selection in the 1987 NFL Supplemental Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles, launching a Hall of Fame career with the Minnesota Vikings.
