What would Jameson Williams have done at Ohio State in 2021?

College football has officially hit its offseason.

As early enrollees get acquainted with Ohio State as official members for the first time, as new coaching hires begin to make their mark on the program ahead of spring practices, as returning players develop into new roles ahead of the 2022 season, we’ll cover it all with one question a day.

But for this first edition, let’s take a look at what could have been for Ohio State.

Heading into the National Championship game against Georgia, Alabama wide receiver Jameson Williams didn’t want to talk about the transfer portal, or his process that brought him to the Crimson Tide in the first place.

But heading into the 2021 season, leaving Ohio State and entering the transfer portal, all Williams wanted was a chance to be utilized, to be used as an “excellent add-on” to the offense.

“As the season went on, we kind of all seen how I was used in the offense and everything,” Williams said. “Complimented me, complimented the other receivers. We all just came together and we had a great offense this year.”

At Alabama, Williams was used more than he ever was at Ohio State.

In his two seasons with the Buckeyes, the St. Louis native brought in more than two receptions in a game only twice: four receptions for 38 yards against Maryland his freshman year and three receptions for 62 yards and a touchdown against Clemson in the Sugar Bowl his sophomore year.

When it came time for Williams to develop, he was kind of blocked in place.

In his two seasons at Ohio State, 220 of his 242 snaps on passing downs — 90.9% — were with him on the outside, while the rest of his 22 snaps were with him in the slot.

In 2020, Garrett Wilson was Ohio State's primary slot guy, leading the team with 188 snaps in that position before moving back out wide with Chris Olave in 2021, inserting Jaxon Smith-Njigba on the inside.

Really, when it came to 2021, it was the perfect recipe for success all around.

Without Williams on the depth chart and Wilson back on the outside, Smith-Njigba now holds the Ohio State record with 95 receptions and 1,606 receiving yards. Olave may have not broken the Ohio State career record for touchdowns, ending his four years with 35 after a career-high 13 in 2021.

And without Williams on Ohio State’s roster, Alabama found itself a Biletnikoff finalist and a first-team All American, bringing in 15 touchdowns and 1,445 receiving yards for the Crimson Tide, which fell short in the second half against Georgia, losing a national championship for the first time since 2019 against Clemson.

Unfortunately, Williams' national championship night was cut short, bringing in four catches for 65 yards before leaving the game with a knee injury.

No matter his status leaving Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, now, at the end of the 2021 season, Olave, Wilson and Williams are all seen as first-round picks in the 2022 NFL Draft, while Smith-Njigba seems to be on his way there in 2023, especially after another season with quarterback C.J. Stroud.

Even after his breakout season with Alabama, Williams still says everything went well at Ohio State, despite the Instagram Live video in which the wide receiver said the Buckeyes “disowned him.”

“I just felt like it was time for me to make a decision for myself,” Williams said. “And things just – I entered the portal, and just ended up being at Alabama. And things went well.”

And while he was far away from the other members of the Ohio State wide receiver room, Williams said his relationships with them got even stronger.

“It's great getting love from my brothers. I talk to those guys almost every day, Chris, Garrett, Jaxon. I talk to those guys every day,” Williams said. “Ever since I left we've had a stronger relationship, even though I had a strong one there.”

With the Crimson Tide, Williams just got to make a new name for himself, setting the trajectory for both program’s offenses in 2021, clearing a path that wouldn’t have been the same for any of Ohio State’s trio of wide receivers if Williams had stayed on the roster.

Based on the production each had, it seemed to work out for the best in 2021.