The former Buckeyes in the NFL have gotten massive paydays over the last two offseasons.
The last two offseasons in the NFL have proved to be massive paydays for the former Ohio State Buckeyes wide receivers.
It's now commonly known that Ohio State is the current breeding ground for great wide receivers who are not only elite at the college level, but who are elite at the NFL level. That has been the calling card of every Brian Hartline-coached player: what they do at the college level translates directly to the NFL.
The most recent guy who joined that list was Chris Olave, who inked an extension with the New Orleans Saints right before the start of Training Camp.
Olave was heading into his fifth season with the Saints and the last one on his rookie deal. It is commonplace in the NFL for guys on their first contracts to sign their extension one year prior to them hitting the market.
The Saints got the best out of Olave last year thanks to new quarterback Tyler Shough. Olave blew his career bests out of the water and was paid handsomely in return. His contract extension is to the tune of four years and $132 million. Nice little payday.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba leads the way with the biggest and most well-deserved extension out of the entire group. One offseason prior to JSN earning the Offensive Rookie of the Year award and leading the Seahawks to the Super Bowl, he received a four-year, $168.6 million extension.
The elder statesmen, kind of, of Buckeye alumni are Garrett Wilson and Terry McLaurin. McLaurin grabbed a three-year, $97 million extension, and Wilson signed a four-year, $130 million extension.
Combined, those four have signed deals for 15 years and $527 million. Over half a billion dollars have been generated by guys who were developed in Columbus wearing the Scarlet and Gray.
It's an unbelievable reality for the guys who come from wide receiver university, and it is only going to get better. Emeka Egbuka and Carnell Tate are going to be eligible for extension in the next two or three years, only to be followed by Jeremiah Smith coming to the league next year.
Whatever stats, both financially and in between the lines, are in danger. Smith has the potential to be one of the all-time greats, but that will come in time.
For now, the Buckeyes in the league have been paid, and it goes to show just how amazing it has been for Ohio State over the past five to 10 years.
