Closer Look: Mylan Graham Brings Explosive Playmaking To Buckeyes

The very first school to offer a scholarship to Mylan Graham was Ohio State and from that moment the Buckeyes were going to be hard to beat. Graham wasn’t quite an unknown as a rising junior at New Haven High School in New Haven, Indiana, but he was close. Graham took part in a June camp at OSU in 2022 and was offered by receivers coach Brian Hartline. Indiana, Notre Dame, and Michigan all followed suit within a week. Alabama followed in July.

Graham was ranked the No. 7 receiver in the 2024 recruiting class per the 247Sports Composite and the No. 33 prospect overall. As a junior, he caught 48 passes for 1,149 yards and 13 touchdowns. An ankle injury hampered his senior season, but he still posted over 500 yards receiving.

What To Like

High school highlights generally have to be taken with a grain of salt. They don’t tell the entire story of a player’s consistency, desire, discipline, etc. But what they do show is actual ability and potential. In Mylan Graham’s case, his highlights showcase him as one of the most explosive players in the country.

Graham (6-1 185) is a natural dynamo with the football in his hands. A play isn’t dead until the whistle blows. The clips immediately below focus mostly on quick screen passes and his ability to not only make defenders miss but also outrun them. There is some Ted Ginn, Jr./Jameson Williams to his game. His spatial awareness has him dodging defenders like it’s all been choreographed ahead of time.

Incoming Ohio State freshman wide receiver Mylan Graham doesn't need to go deep to hit home runs. pic.twitter.com/GBRTzW7H7L
— Tony Gerdeman (@TonyGerdeman) May 28, 2024

The Potential

In head coach Ryan Day’s offense, the Buckeyes are always going to want to stretch the ball downfield. Mylan Graham will be able to contribute to that kind of long-distance attack. He obviously has deep speed but is also a focused route runner who can win matchups in a number of ways.

Graham has good size and the ability to play inside or outside. As an outside guy, he’s a prototype Z receiver, but he can do more than just run deep down the sideline. He also isn’t just some ridiculous athlete learning the nuances of playing receiver. Graham is very much a football player who is naturally good at a lot of things, but don’t let that discount the work he has put in to improve from his freshman year to his senior year. And also the work that he will continue to put in.

As an outside receiver, Mylan Graham can be a deep threat or move the chains. pic.twitter.com/MmzMWY2zJu
— Tony Gerdeman (@TonyGerdeman) May 28, 2024

The Expectations

Mylan Graham won’t arrive on campus until June, so there will be some catching up he needs to do in order to factor in for the Buckeyes this season. When he does arrive, he could be a factor both outside and in the slot. Talking to him last year, he said Brian Hartline was talking to him mostly about being an outside receiver, but also brush up on the slot as well.

As a senior, Graham did just that, playing out of the slot seemingly more than he ever had before. The Buckeyes aren’t overly deep at receiver this year, so there could be snaps available for Graham. Fall camp will determine how much we see of him early in the season. The coaches are going to want to play him, but how much will depend on how much he can handle.

Last June, Mylan Graham said he could end up inside or outside at Ohio State. Here's a sample of his work in the slot. pic.twitter.com/nppzVRHjvP
— Tony Gerdeman (@TonyGerdeman) May 28, 2024

The Bottom Line

Mylan Graham is a very dangerous offensive football player. He could also be a dangerous returner if Ohio State ever wants to get back into that line of work. Not enrolling early will set him back, but few players have Graham’s catch-up speed. There are many things he could do for the Buckeyes this year, and the later in the season it gets, the more options an offense needs.

Perhaps the perfect path for him would be Chris Olave’s track in 2018 as a true freshman. Olave was a summer enrollee but hit camp running and made noise immediately. But the second half of the season he was playing more and more, and saw 20+ snaps per game over the final four contests of the season.

Being in the same recruiting class as No. 1 receiver Jeremiah Smith has muted some of the hype and expectations from the outside. On the inside, however, the plans for Mylan Graham are as grand as ever.

If kickoff returns come back to college football in the next few years, incoming OSU freshman WR Mylan Graham could factor in. Also, if the Buckeyes want to honor the 20th anniversary of the 2004 Alamo Bowl where Ted Ginn, Jr. played quarterback, Graham could be an option. pic.twitter.com/jAmxZ1RlkQ
— Tony Gerdeman (@TonyGerdeman) May 28, 2024

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