The Ohio State Buckeyes and LSU Tigers churn out wide receiver talent. Over the years, both schools have claimed to be “WRU,” the country’s top destination for wide receiver development and promotion to the NFL level. But talk is cheap.
Here at Saturday Down South, we’re determined to settle the debate once and for all. To do so, we’ll be tracking Buckeye and Tiger receivers throughout the course of the NFL season to see which group can rightfully claim the crown for 2025.
A couple ground rules:
- No. 1 — We’re analyzing players who entered the NFL in the 2020s. This gives us 5 wideouts apiece from each school, meaning we’re charting the production of 10 receivers in total (9 of whom were first-round picks).
- No. 2 — Only receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns are being tracked. Yes, everyone loves a receiver sweep or reverse. We’re focused on receiving work, though, not rushing production. After all, this is the battle for “WRU,” not “Gadget U.”
Without further ado, here’s how the fight for “WRU” played out in Week 1 of the NFL season.
Ohio State WR of the Week: Emeka Egbuka (Tampa Bay)
Week 1 Stats: 4 receptions, 67 yards, 2 TDs
Egbuka, the No. 19 overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft, earned a starting role in his professional debut thanks, in part, to injuries for Chris Godwin and Jalen McMillan. He may not be yielding his spot when either of those guys return, though, after a sparkling performance. Egbuka hauled in the Buccaneers’ first and last touchdown on Sunday, the latter of which served as the game-winner in their 23-20 victory over the Atlanta Falcons.
Shortly after the game, future Hall of Fame wideout Mike Evans told reporters that Egbuka called his shot on the game-winning score. If the 22-year-old continues walking his walk after talking his talk, he’ll be a frontrunner for the Rookie of the Year award.
LSU WR of the Week: Kayshon Boutte (New England)
Week 1 Stats: 6 receptions, 103 yards, 0 TDs
Boutte is the lone player in our survey to not be a first-round pick in the NFL Draft (6th Round, No. 187 overall in 2023). As he recently stated, though, he has always possessed the talent of a first-round prospect. And after taking a big step in his second season, he’s functioning as a starting receiver this year for a legitimate franchise quarterback prospect in Drake Maye.
Boutte has seen 7 targets in 3 of his last 4 games. In those respective contests, has averaged 6 receptions for 105 yards and scored 2 touchdowns. He may not be who folks anticipated would develop into Maye’s top wide receiver in Foxborough, but the signs are there. If you’re a fantasy football player, he’s someone worth chasing before his price potentially skyrockets in the weeks ahead. For our purposes, he could be critical to LSU’s chances of staying in this race all season long.
Other Ohio State WRs in Week 1
Here’s a breakdown of the other Ohio State receivers we’re tracking:
Marvin Harrison Jr. (Arizona): 5 receptions, 71 yards, 1 TD
Harrison didn’t set the world on fire as a rookie, but finished with 885 yards and 8 receiving scores in 2024. He may not wind up with many jaw-dropping stat lines this season, but his consistency as the No. 2 option at worst in the Cardinals’ offense should be helpful to the Buckeyes’ cause in our exercise.
Chris Olave (New Orleans): 7 receptions, 54 yards, 0 TDs
When Olave got rocked on a swing pass and was sent to the medical tent in the fourth quarter on Sunday, fans immediately thought he had suffered another brutal injury. Thankfully, the fourth-year pro wound up returning to action a few minutes later. When healthy, Olave is one of the league’s smoothest route runners and an underrated wideout. The Saints are set to trail a lot this season, so he’ll soak up targets — and boost Ohio State’s numbers here — if he’s able to stay on the field.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba (Seattle): 9 receptions, 124 yards, 0 TDs
JSN was targeted on 13 of Sam Darnold’s 23 pass attempts in Week 1. He’s not likely to maintain that 56.5% target share, but he’ll see the ball early and often as the Seahawks’ new No. 1 receiver. It wouldn’t be surprising if he tops those numbers next Sunday when Seattle travels to Pittsburgh for a matchup with DK Metcalf and the Steelers.
Garrett Wilson (New York Jets): 7 receptions, 95 yards, 1 TD
Wilson has eclipsed 1,000 yards in each season of his NFL career despite some brutal quarterback play at times. Justin Fields may not carry the Jets to a ton of wins, but his chemistry with Wilson — going back to their days in Columbus — could lead to the receiver’s best year yet.
Other LSU WRs in Week 1
And here’s a look at the other Tigers we’re tracking this year:
Ja’Marr Chase (Cincinnati): 2 receptions, 26 yards, 0 TDs
The Bengals played Chase and Joe Burrow in multiple preseason affairs in an effort to start their season off on the right foot. Neither man had a good statistical day, but they walked out of Cleveland with a Week 1 win. After the way their 2024 campaign began, they’ll take that and won’t look back.
Justin Jefferson (Minnesota): 4 receptions, 44 yards, 1 TD
It took Jefferson some time to get on the same page with JJ McCarthy on Monday night. The 4-time Pro Bowler had just 1 catch for 4 yards through 3 quarters, but ramped things up with 3 grabs for 40 yards and a score in the fourth. Jefferson, like Chase, is in contention to be the league’s best wide receiver. As McCarthy acclimates to the NFL level, his output should only increase.
Malik Nabers (New York Giants): 5 receptions, 71 yards, 0 TDs
Russell Wilson looked rough in his Big Blue debut. The potential Hall of Famer completed an Anthony Richardson-esque 46.9% of his passes (17/37) for 168 yards in New York’s 21-6 defeat to Washington. It could be another long year in East Rutherford if Jaxson Dart doesn’t come to Brian Daboll’s rescue. Regardless, Nabers — who was the intended receiver on 12 of Wilson’s attempts — should see plenty of work throughout the season.
Brian Thomas Jr. (Jacksonville): 1 reception, 11 yards, 0 TDs
Thomas would have had a more productive day if Jaycee Horn were human. The Carolina Panthers cornerback’s incredible one-handed interception didn’t come at his expense, but sticky coverage all game long resulted in only 1 catch for the second-year receiver. Better days could be ahead as soon as Week 2, when he faces the Cincinnati Bengals.
Week 1 Totals
Ohio State: 32 receptions, 411 yards (12.8 yards per reception), 4 TDs
LSU: 18 receptions, 255 yards (14.2 yards per reception), 1 TD
Week 1 Winner: Ohio State (1-0)
Season Leader: Ohio State (32 receptions, 411 yards, 4 TDs)
