College football fans take pride in a lot of things including championships, award-winning players, history, and traditions. Being the "it" school for certain positions in the game is also a source of pride. The first school/fanbase to really embrace this was Penn State, who dubbed themselves as "Linebacker U" due to the pipeline of linebackers they put into the NFL under Joe Paterno's watch.
The "Position U" titles are now more dynamic these days, thanks to the transfer portal, NIL, and the coaching carousel. It's difficult to keep track of who comes from where and which school a certain player claims. The best we can do is keep an eye on the trends.
Right now, Ohio State is trending as "Wide Receiver U", and it's not really close.
The are currently ten former Buckeye wide receivers on NFL rosters or in NFL camps. Five of those players -- Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, Marvin Harrison Jr., Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and Terry McClaurin -- are all the No. 1 receiving options on their respective teams.
When the Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Emeka Ebuka in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, it marked the fourth consecutive year that an Ohio State wide receiver was drafted in the first round.
There does not appear to be any end in sight to Ohio State's domination of the NFL pipeline at the position. The Buckeyes currently have Jeremiah Smith on their roster. Heading into his sophomore season, he is widely regarded as the best player in the country at his position -- and in some cases, any position.
Lining up opposite of Smith is in 2025 is another sure-fire NFL prospect, Carnell Tate. The depth chart behind Smith and Tate is littered with future NFL talent, led by freshman Quincy Porter. Like Smith, Porter is already built like a prototypical No. 1 receiver in the NFL.
The Buckeyes have an edge over some worthy contenders for the title of "Wide Receiver U."
Alabama has seven receivers on NFL rosters: Jermaine Burton, Jerry Jeudy, Jameson Williams, John Metchie III, Jaylen Waddle, Devonta Smith, and Calvin Ridley. That's a formidable stable in its own right, but still lacking the depth the Buckeyes have. And there's also a question of what the pipeline looks like moving forward after the Saban era in Tuscaloosa.
LSU is also boasts some significant wide receiver talent. Like Alabama, they have seven players in the NFL: Ja'Marr Chase, Brian Thomas Jr., Justin Jefferson, Kayshon Boutte, Malik Nabers, Terrace Marshall, and Russell Gage. While this is a top-heavy group talent-wise, the lack of depth or any signs of a formidable and consistent pipeline are what keeps LSU behind Ohio State.
Southern Cal has eight wide receviers in the NFL, including a couple of the best younger receivers in the game in Amon-Ra St. Brown and Drake London. Like Alabama and LSU however, the overall depth and future pipeline is in question.
Right now, there are no signs of Ohio State relinquishing the title of "Wide Receiver U", especially with former receiver coach Brian Hartline now assuming the role of Offensive Coordinator for the Buckeyes, the recent success of the program, and NIL playing a factor.