Bryson Rodgers wasn’t shy.
“I feel a big boom in the air today,” the four-star wide receiver tweeted Tuesday morning, a message shared by many of the top recruits already secured in Ohio State’s 2023 class like Luke Montgomery and Ty Lockwood.
Something was coming.
But Carnell Tate knew what it was yesterday, putting it in the universe with a simple tweet:
“Buckeye nation,” Ohio State’s newest 2023 five-star wide receiver said. “What Drake say?”
Tate knew wide receivers coach Brian Hartline was going back-to-back.
One day after bringing in Tate as the program’s first five-star receiver since Emeka Egbuka in the 2021 class, the Buckeyes secured another one Tuesday.
Five-star wide receiver Brandon Inniss, who was previously committed to Oklahoma, committed to Ohio State, giving the Buckeyes each of the top two receivers in the 2023 class and two of the top-six players in the country.
Inniss is the sixth player from Florida to join the Buckeyes’ 2023 class, including Tate, four-star cornerback Dijon Johnson, four-star running back Mark Fletcher and four-star safety Cedrick Hawkins along with Rodgers.
Inniss’ decision came down to the Buckeyes, USC, Miami, Alabama, LSU and Texas A&M, and has already been on an official visit with the Crimson Tide.
Four-star wide receiver Noah Rogers was expected to make the trip for an Ohio State official visit this past weekend, but failed to make it due to travel issues. Inniss, right before he announced his commitment to the Buckeyes, tagged Rogers in a tweet with the eyeball emoji.
What this means for Ohio State
Hartline continues to roll.
Bringing in Tate Monday, one of the best wide receivers in the class that’s known for his consistency on routes and with his ability to catch the football, the Ohio State wide receivers coach secured a commitment with the 6-foot, 189-pound five-star receiver out of American Heritage in Plantation, Fla.
Inniss provides that level of consistency, but likely projects more as an inside receiver that could succeed Jaxon Smith-Njigba in the slot, coming in built similarly to the Rockwall, Texas native, who was a five-star in the 2020 class and is now up to 197 pounds.
Inniss’ commitment solidifies Ohio State’s future at the wide receiver position, pitting him and Tate together as the next options to replace Smith-Njigba, Egbuka and Marvin Harrison Jr. on the outside with quarterbacks like Devin Brown and 2024 quarterback commit Dylan Raiola.
Not only does this give a plan for the Buckeyes in the passing game, but it gives the Buckeyes continued momentum in a recruiting class that’s continuing to develop more and more as a contender to be the top class in the country.
Inniss is another domino that falls in favor of an Ohio State team that’s next looking at securing commitments from four-star offensive tackle Olaus Alinen, a safety such as Joenel Aguero, Caleb Downs and Jayden Bonsu, and linebacker Tackett Curtis.
It’s something that has made 2023 quarterback Austin Novosad notice too, telling Scarlet and Gray Report that Hartline’s receiver recruiting has been a main recruiting tool for quarterbacks coach Corey Dennis with him.
“That’s one of his big things: ‘You’re going to always have weapons,’” Novosad said. “I think that definitely helps when you’re a college QB is having NFL talent around you.
With the tandem of Inniss and Tate in the same recruiting class, Ohio State’s passing game is set for the future.