:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/63166285/usa_today_12268390.0.jpg)
Ohio State has always produced impressive skill players for the NFL, but in recent years, it’s been the wide receivers that have been particularly talented.
At the 2019 NFL Combine, Parris Campbell tied for the top 40-yard dash time, and Terry McLaurin and Johnnie Dixon had equally impressive performances. But how do they stack up to Buckeye receivers from the past decade?
Ohio State WR Combine Results
| Year | Player | 40-yard dash time | Bench Press (reps) | Vertical Jump | Broad Jump |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Player | 40-yard dash time | Bench Press (reps) | Vertical Jump | Broad Jump |
| 2019 | Parris Campbell | 4.31 sec | 11 | 40" | 135" |
| 2019 | Terry McLaurin | 4.35 sec | 18 | 37.5" | 125" |
| 2019 | Johnnie Dixon | 4.41 sec | 16 | 37.5" | 120" |
| 2017 | Curtis Samuel | 4.31 sec | 18 | 37" | 119" |
| 2017 | Noah Brown | DNP | 19 | DNP | DNP |
| 2016 | Michael Thomas | 4.57 sec | 18 | 35" | 126" |
| 2016 | Braxton Miller | 4.50 sec | 17 | 35" | 123" |
| 2016 | Jalin Marshall | 4.60 sec | 16 | 37.5" | 125" |
| 2015 | Devin Smith | 4.42 sec | 10 | 39" | 122" |
| 2014 | Corey "Philly" Brown | 4.51 sec | DNP | 33" | 116" |
| 2012 | DeVier Posey | 4.39 sec | 14 | 36.5" | 123" |
| 2011 | Dane Sanzenbacher | 4.56 sec | DNP | 33.5" | 118" |
*DNP = Did Not Perform
We all know that the combine testing isn’t the end all-be all in determining NFL potential, but it does go a long way in projecting where a prospect might end up being drafted.
Parris Campbell not only tied the top 40-yard dash time of the 2019 combine, but also tied the best time ever from an Ohio State prospect, matching Curtis Samuel from 2017. Samuel has had some injury issues since being drafted to the Carolina Panthers, but gradually made his way into the lineup and became a bigger contributor toward the end of the 2018 season.
The only other former Buckeye to come close to the times of either Samuel and Campbell (4.31) or Terry McLaurin (4.35) was DeVier Posey in 2012. He had limited success in the NFL before eventually trying to make a name for himself in the Canadian Football League.
There, he won the Grey Cup (the Super Bowl equivalent) and also was named Grey Cup MVP for his performance — including a 100-plus yard touchdown return — in the championship game. Posey was briefly signed the Ravens last offseason after his MVP performance, but again, didn’t make a big enough splash and made his way back north of the border.
The slowest Buckeye WR 40-yard dash time in the last decade was Michael Thomas (4.57), but we all know that he’s gone on to be one of the best receivers the league has ever seen. He’s spent his first three years with the Saints breaking all sorts of team and league records, and has amassed 321 receptions on 417 targets for 3,787 yards and 23 touchdowns. He’s also already a two time Pro Bowl player, and was a First-Team All-Pro in 2018.
So, again, 40-yard dash times are only part of the equation, but the three Buckeye receivers who competed in this year’s combine almost certainly helped improve their draft stock. Campbell, McLaurin and Johnnie Dixon will be great additions to whatever teams draft them, and could be some of the more successful receivers to come out of Ohio State in the last 10 years.