Brian Hartline has done it again.

With the comittment of Jeremiah Smith, Hartline has now inked the #1 WR in three separate classes (2020, 2021, 2024).

Recent Ohio State WR recruiting has been insane:

Brandon Inniss - 5
Carnell Tate - 5
Emeka Egbuka - 5
Jaxon Smith-Njigba - 5
Julian Fleming - 5
Garrett Wilson - Should've been 5
Chris Olave - Should've been 5

And now 2024 5-star Jeremiah Smith joins the Buckeyes. Awesome run. pic.twitter.com/cQhzDjt4iZ
— Adam Gorney (@adamgorney) December 14, 2022

10! top 100 WRs will be in Ohio State's WR room next year. Most schools would be thrilled with just one or two of those players.

And while 2024 WR recruiting is not even close to finished yet, I thought it would be fun to look ahead and debate how Ohio State will take advantage of its embarrassment of riches.

Platoon System

During Hartline's first year on staff in 2017, Ohio State deployed a true "platoon system" at WR that rotated the top six guys. Parris Campbell, KJ Hill, Terry McLaurin, Austin Mack, Binjimin Victor, and Johnnie Dixon all mixed in equally.

In Hartline's first year as WR coach in 2018, he once again deployed a platoon system to take advantage of the talent in the room. While it became a bit more top heavy, the top six of Parris Campbell, KJ Hill, Johnnie Dixon, Terry McLaurin, Austin Mack, and Binjimin Victor all recieved consistent playing time. Chris Olave entered the rotation late in the year and made it seven.

2019 was the last year of the WR platoon at Ohio State. In a sign of things to come, the platoon shrunk to five with Chris Olave, KJ Hill, Binjimin Victor, Garrett Wilson, and Austin Mack mixing in.

From 2020 - 2022, the team became heavily reliant on its top two or three recievers. When those recievers are Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka, etc, it's the right decision.

However, in the coming years, I believe the talent will once again favor a true platoon system and an equal rotation of at least the top six guys. Let's take a look:

2023 Season - No Platoon

Departures: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Kamryn Babb, Xavier Johnson

Marvin Harrison Jr and Emeka Egbuka won't be coming off the field next year. Fleming and Ballard will probably rotate a bit for that Z reciever spot. Otherwise it will be a year of development for the young guys. The 2nd and 3rd string should get some run in blowouts or if there are any injuries.

2024 Season - First Platoon Season

Departures: Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka, Julian Fleming

This is the first season when I believe a platoon will be required. All of the top six guys will be ready to play, including Jeremiah Smith, our highest rated WR recruit of all time.

I placed the 2022 guys lower on the depth chart, but they could very easily be pushing for playing time as well with their extra year of development.

If Fleming decides to stay for a 5th year, this rotation gets even more crowded.

2025 Season - Second Platoon Season

Departures: Jayden Ballard, Kaleb Brown

The depth chart will likely look wildly different than this, but again, a platoon makes total sense here. I anticipate Hartline will be signing one or two more top 100 WR in 2024 that will also be pushing hard for playing time this year.

TL;DR: This team is absolutely loaded at WR for the next four years.

Conclusion

I know this is thinking way ahead, but it's a fun exercise to ponder nonetheless.

Players will get hurt, and others may stay for fifth years. Most upperclassmen listed lower on the depth chart will eventually transfer.

And Hartline is just getting started in 2024. Imagine what this depth chart could look like with JoJo Trader, Mylan Graham, Micah Hudson, etc instead of "WR TBD."

Not to mention the embarrassment of riches we will have at the QB position as well.

Hartline has absolutely loaded this WR room to levels never seen in college football before. It will be interesting to see what strategies he chooses to take advantage of it.

The nation's best passing attack is about to get even more overwhelming.