2023 Ohio State Freshman Class Report: Wide Receiver Bryson Rodgers

This is the 20th and final installment in a series where Buckeye Huddle looks back on each member of Ohio State’s 2023 signing class and the impact they had as rookies, as well as the impact they could have during the upcoming 2024 season. Up next is wide receiver Bryson Rodgers.

Bryson Rodgers was part of a four-man wide receiver class for Ohio State in 2023. He was ranked the No. 49 receiver in the nation and the No. 357 player overall. Rodgers signed with Ohio State over offers from Alabama, Georgia, Florida State, LSU, Michigan, Oregon, Texas, and dozens of others.

Originally from Warren, Ohio, Rodgers attended Wiregrass Ranch High School in Zephyrhills, Florida where he caught 110 passes for 1,625 yards and 29 touchdowns over three varsity seasons. Rodgers was the first receiver commit for the Buckeyes in the 2023 recruiting class.

2023 Season

Bryson Rodgers was joined in the 2023 class by fellow receivers Brandon Inniss, Carnell Tate, and Noah Rogers. All but Inniss enrolled early last year and participated in winter workouts and spring ball.

Rodgers opened up spring camp by working at slot receiver. Receivers coach Brian Hartline was asked last spring what he wanted his freshmen to get out of their first real camp as Buckeyes.

“Right now, it’s just the ability to continue to make mistakes and correct mistakes,” Hartline explained. “Because they’re gonna happen all spring. Spring is really trying to build a foundation to help some young guys really do a great job through the summer, and then do a great job in the fall camp. And now fall camp’s like your third time doing it all, and it all can slow down a little bit and now we can really put our best foot forward.

“Right now young guys, a lot of times they’re just always scrambling. Now, Carnell’s done a great job, he’s not scrambling as much. So Noah’s gotta do a great job and Bryson’s gotta do a great job of continuing to take notes, reviewing those notes, having mistakes on a Monday or a Tuesday, and then reviewing those notes again on a Wednesday or a Thursday. Because when we practice every two days, you can’t let the mistakes of two days ago show back up in two days, because that can happen if you’re not organized.”

Despite positive reviews during the season from his teammates, Rodgers only played in two games last season. Following the season, Bryson Rodgers and Noah Rogers entered the transfer portal. Rodgers then withdrew his name from the portal two weeks after he entered and rejoined the Ohio State football team.

So Now What For Bryson Rodgers?

With the departures of receivers Marvin Harrison, Jr., Xavier Johnson, Julian Fleming, and Noah Rogers from last year’s team, depth could become an issue. This is one reason why the return of Bryson Rodgers is so critical.

Rodgers (6-2 185) has the practice experience at slot, but also enough size to play outside as well. While he did not record a catch last year, his prolific numbers in practice have been a topic of conversation for his teammates.

“Bryson is one of the smaller dudes in the room, which is okay. He’s a freshman,” teammate Emeka Egbuka said back in December. “He’s young. He’s gonna get that strength to play and he’s gonna build some more muscle mass, but I mean, he’s super quick. He’s super shifty.

“We have this ‘Michael Thomas board’ in the wide receiver room that tracks all our targets, catches, drops, all that type of stuff. I think Bryson at the end of fall camp he had a 90% completion rate when targeted, which is the highest I’ve seen since I’ve been here. If that was a national stat, I’m sure he’d be number one in every category. So good things happen when he’s targeted. Good things happen when the ball goes his way.”

Right now, the Buckeyes are scheduled to have nine scholarship receivers this season, so there will be opportunities for everyone to get into the two-deep. If Rodgers stays in the slot, he will be competing with Brandon Inniss — and possibly Emeka Egbuka — for playing time. Brian Hartline will move players around, however, so it is too early to pigeonhole where Rodgers may end up playing.

What we do know, however, is that wherever Bryson Rodgers lines up, when quarterbacks throw him the ball, “good things happen.”

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