The Ohio State Buckeyes have received a major update on their recruitment of a four-star receiver.
The Ohio State Buckeyes have made it into the final 12 schools to land four-star wide receiver Malachi Lee.
The Buckeyes are one of the best programs in college football and have a great track record of developing wide receivers. In recent years, Ohio State has had Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka, Jaxson Smith-Njigba, and Jeremiah Smith develop into stars.
Smith-Njigba proved his worth in the NFL in the 2025 season, as he was a key piece in the Seattle Seahawks' Super Bowl run and won the Offensive Player of the Year award. In the 2021 season at Ohio State, he had 96 receptions for 1,606 yards and nine touchdowns.
Smith is the current Buckeye receiver and has become one of the best in college football, with 76 receptions for 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns, plus 47 yards and a touchdown on six carries in his freshman season.
USA TODAY Network via Reuters ConnectHe played well again in the 2025 season, hauling in 87 receptions for 1,243 yards and 12 touchdowns while rushing for 21 yards and a touchdown on three carries. Smith finished sixth in Heisman voting and was named an All-American.
He is poised for another highly productive season and could be one of the top picks off the board in the 2027 NFL Draft.
While it's not a guarantee that Ohio State will land Lee, their proven track record of developing star receivers should be a strong selling point compared to the other programs he is considering.
The Buckeyes are also a proven contender, having won the National Championship in 2024 and made the College Football Playoff again in 2025, though they fell to the Hurricanes. While it was a disappointing loss, they have the talent to bounce back next year.
Ohio State is in a great position to contend again in the 2026 season, and they should remain one of the best teams in the country long-term as they recruit more talent like Lee.
