A series of profiles on members of the Buckeyes’ 2020 recruiting class who redshirted their true freshman seasons, including a look back at how their first year went, and an evaluation of where they stand in the program ahead of 2021.

Armed with both a 2021 NFL Draft pick and one of the most talented pass-catching tight ends in the country last season, the Ohio State offense still couldn’t find a way to get the ball to the entire position group more than 19 times last season.

Given that fact –– in conjunction with the pedigree of Luke Farrell and Jeremy Ruckert atop the TE depth chart –– you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone too surprised that Cincinnati native Joe Royer’s true freshman campaign was purely a developmental one.

Not a single snap came Royer’s way during the eight-game Buckeye season, but given his 6-foot-5, 240-pound frame, athleticism and impressive background as a receiving threat entering Year Two, the Elder High School alum may begin planting seeds for a bright future in 2021.

Make no mistake, if any tight end is getting looks from Ryan Day and the Ohio State offense in 2021, it is Ruckert.

Nine of the senior’s 27 catches in the past two seasons have gone for touchdowns, and it seemed like every touch Ruckert got last year resulted in a big play or a crucial conversion. In something of a surprise return to the program for a fourth year, Ruckert said he’s discussed plans with the coaching staff to be more of a focal point of the offense this season, and teammates have echoed the same sentiment.

With Royer’s own penchant for making plays in the passing game –– including a senior year of high school ball in which he caught 70 passes for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns –– Ruckert’s presence in the program likely means another year of hard work behind the scenes, in the weight room and on the practice field for the second-year Buckeye.

In the absence of Farrell, who billed himself as the best blocking tight end in his draft class before being selected by Urban Meyer and the Jacksonville Jaguars, one would expect physical 255-pound redshirt sophomore Cade Stover to log the second-most snaps at the position behind Ruckert, even if the Buckeyes continue to utilize 12 personnel as much as they have in the past couple years.

Still, Royer’s on-field introduction to Buckeye fans this spring was one of note, as the promising in-state prospect hauled in a 12-yard touchdown pass from true freshman QB Kyle McCord in the fourth quarter of April 17’s spring game.

There’s little doubt that there will be more where that came from down the line for Royer in the Buckeye pass game, even if a path to an abundance of targets does not seem clear for the rising talent during his redshirt freshman season.