After decades of dominating the Big Ten and being a force on the national stage, you can find legendary Ohio State players at every position on the football field. However, the Buckeyes have been particularly amazing at producing wide receivers. The list of great wide receivers who donned scarlet and gray in college is nearly a mile long. While it wasn’t easy, we managed to cut that list down to the five best wide receivers in Ohio State history.
5. Gary Williams
Williams is often forgotten because he played in the early 80s, making it easy for more recent receivers to overshadow him. He ranks fifth in Ohio State history in career receptions and third in receiving yards.
He also held a school record for 48 consecutive games with a reception until K.J. Hill matched him in 2019. No matter how many great receivers play for the Buckeyes, Williams should not be forgotten.
4. Terry Glenn
The fact that Glenn arrived at Ohio State as a walk-on warrants extra points. Of course, he soon earned a scholarship and blossomed into a star.
His 1995 campaign might be the best in school history, racking up 1,411 yards on just 65 catches while setting the single-season OSU record for 17 receiving touchdowns. Glenn won the Biletnikoff Award that year and remains the only receiver in Ohio State history to earn that distinction.
3. David Boston
Boston’s name is all over the OSU record books. He’s the only receiver in program history with more than 12 touchdown catches in multiple seasons, which is why he’s the all-time leader in receiving touchdowns.
Boston is also a close second on the all-time list in both career receptions and career receiving yards. He gave the Buckeyes three outstanding seasons, highlighted by the game-winning catch in the 1997 Rose Bowl against Arizona State.
2. Michael Jenkins
Jenkins was a force on the field for three seasons and will always hold a special place in Ohio State history for his “Holy Buckeye” catch against Purdue in 2002 to preserve an undefeated season that eventually ended with a national championship.
In addition to that one play, Jenkins caught a pass in 38 straight games during his career, showcasing incredible consistency throughout his three seasons. As it stands, Jenkins is the OSU all-time leader in receiving yards and fourth in program history in receptions.
1. Cris Carter
In the NFL, Carter became a Hall of Fame receiver, but even during his time at Ohio State, he was something special. In 1986, Carter ended his career with the Buckeyes by becoming the first All-American wide receiver in program history. Outside of Williams, he helped lay the foundation for Ohio State becoming a haven for wide receivers.
While he’s been passed over since then, he left Ohio State after thee years as the program’s all-time leader in receptions and second to Williams in receiving yards. Fittingly, Carter left the Buckeyes with the most receiving touchdowns in OSU history, setting the stage for 130 touchdowns in the NFL and earning him the honor of the best wide receiver in Ohio State history.