COLUMBUS, Ohio – If the Buckeyes are to realize some of their lofty team goals for the 2017 season the team is going to need more consistent play out of the wide receiver group. Johnnie Dixon could finally get his chance to be in the mix going into his fourth season with the Buckeyes after an injury-plagued career has held the former four-star to seven career catches for 55 yards and no touchdowns.

Dixon and Curtis Samuel were the crown jewels at wide receiver in Ohio State's 2014 recruiting class. Samuel has moved on to the NFL while Dixon is still at Ohio State in the midst of a career that has never seen Dixon healthy for more than a second here and there.

That has all changed going into 2017.

"He is off the charts right now," head coach Urban Meyer said at Big Ten Media Days of Dixon, almost in disbelief that the wide receiver has had an amazing turnaround in terms of his health. "He has moved into the gold category as far as work ethic and practice and he is a very talented guy."

After Ohio State's Fiesta Bowl loss to Clemson, there was question if Dixon would come back or at least if he might opt to take a medical hardship after arthritic knees hobbled the well-regarded wideout.

Dixon did not give up however and is on the verge of finally being a major part of the Ohio State offense. Dixon led the Scarlet team in the spring game with six receptions for 108 yards and two touchdowns. And there have been no setbacks over the summer for the West Palm Beach (Fla.) native.

"Johnnie Dixon has been awesome through the preparation side," offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson said. "You saw him in the spring game, he had an awesome summer. That’s lifting weights and running and we are not part of the football side, but his summer was good."

It is hard for his teammates not to root for him. Once the season opens the Buckeyes will need to put their best players out on the field but few are doubting that Dixon deserves to be part of that group as he lives up to a potential that he has never had the opportunity to showcase while in Columbus.

"One of the main things with Johnnie is when you have got momentum you just try and keep building on it," quarterback J.T. Barrett said. "He has momentum right now coming off of spring. He had a good summer. Working with him in the weight room and throwing too."

Barrett knows a thing or two about being healthy. A fluke injury during the Michigan game of his redshirt freshman season knocked him out for the remainder of the year and created a quarterback controversy that encompassed the 2015 season.

"Health is one of those things, we are all trying to stay away from that injury bug," Barrett added. "I think he is going to take care of his body right."