Cornerback Jermaine Mathews Jr. has encountered his share of talented young receivers at Ohio State, covering wave after wave of them during practices over the last four years.
But he thinks there’s something different about this year’s class of freshmen.
“It’s probably the best freshman class I’ve seen,” Mathews said. “The freshmen are nice.”
Mathews’ comments during preseason training camp added to the buzz surrounding the group led by Brock Boyd and Chris Henry Jr.
While their backgrounds are varied, Boyd and Henry have stood out since spring practices in March and April. They were the first freshmen at any position to lose their black stripes, a milestone for newcomers to the program.
“They’re just special,” Mathews said.
Henry was a five-star recruit who was considered perhaps the best high school receiver in the nation last year when the Buckeyes held off Oregon and USC to sign the son of the late Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chris Henry in December. His 6-foot-6 frame is reminiscent of his father’s wiry build.
“He’s strong,” Mathews said. “He can run. He actually has great bend for his size as well.”
There was far less recruiting hype surrounding Boyd, a three-star prospect who nonetheless was highly productive at the highest level of Texas high school football, recording consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons at Carroll in Southlake, a suburb of Dallas and Fort Worth.
Boyd’s polish as a route runner and ball skills have been apparent in the handful of practices open to reporters this offseason.
“Brock is just different,” Mathews said. “There’s something about Brock. He’s different. I love Brock.”
The sustained momentum for Boyd and Henry leaves them in the mix near the front of the receiver rotation, especially as the Buckeyes look for options to complement superstar Jeremiah Smith.
Joey Kaufman covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch. Email him at jkaufman@dispatch.com and follow him on @joeyrkaufman on X.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: ‘They’re just special.’ OSU football freshman receivers build buzz
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Reporting by Joey Kaufman, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
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