That’s Brian Hartline’s music! Ohio State lands top-100 receiver Jeremiah McClellan

It’s getting to be a bit absurd at this point just how good Brian Hartline is at this whole recruiting thing, but Ohio State fans will certainly take it. Yet another huge win for the Buckeyes’ wide receivers coach/offensive coordinator, on Sunday OSU landed a big time commitment from the program’s top remaining target at the position.

That pledge came from four-star 2024 wide receiver Jeremiah McClellan.

A long time Ohio State lean, some had begun to think that the Missouri native was wavering in his interest of taking his talents to Columbus, especially as the in-state Tigers were strengthening their pursuit of the 6-foot-1 pass-catcher in recent months. That was clearly not the case, as McClellan announced his commitment to the Buckeyes this weekend over Mizzou in addition to big brands like Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Oregon — all of whom made his top 12 schools in April — and many others.

“I knew after my official visit that I was going to Ohio State,” McClellan told On3. “I was talking to Marvin Harrison Jr., I listened to Coach Hartline and I felt that culture one last time and I knew[...] Going into that visit, Ohio State was up there, but so was Missouri and Oregon. I liked all three schools a lot, but Ohio State is the one. I had that feeling.”

A Christian Brothers Academy product, the St. Louis wideout is currently listed as the No. 17 wide receiver and the No. 91 overall player by 247Sports’ rankings. McClellan has been lauded by many for his excellent ball skills in addition to his hand-eye coordination, making him adept at bringing down contested catches and winning those one-on-one battles in the air. With a sturdy frame and a track background as well, it’s no wonder why McClellan garnered over 40 offers during his recruiting process — and why Hartline wanted him in this class.

McClellan becomes the first player from Missouri to commit to Ohio State since Jakailin Johnson in 2021. However, he is the third player in recent memory to join the Buckeyes by way of Christian Brothers Academy, as both Kam Babb and Cam Brown attended the school before coming to Columbus. Of course, the most notable commit from the Show Me State to OSU is none other than Ezekiel Elliott.

McClellan is the third wide receiver in this 2024 class for Hartline and the Buckeyes, with five-stars Jeremiah Smith and Mylan Graham being the other two. Ohio State could wind up with four receivers this cycle when all is said and done if they are able to flip four-star Chance Robinson away from Miami, but either way Ryan Day has to be thrilled with all of the new weapons he will be getting to catch passes in his offense. The work Hartline has done to build a room with this much incredible talent cannot be overstated.

Overall, McClellan becomes the 21st commit for the Buckeyes in their still No. 2-ranked 2024 class. However, the addition gives Ohio State a slightly higher per-player average than No. 1 Georgia’s (93.60 compared to 93.49), and with five less commits OSU is just 18.47 total points behind the Bulldogs (312.70 to 294.23). It would be surprising at this point if UGA does not finish with the nation’s top class, but Ohio State is right there in the mix.

Quick Hits

• On Saturday, four-star Texas running back Tory Blaylock cut down his list of nearly 40 offers down to a top-13, and Ohio State made the cut. The No. 16 RB and a top-160 player overall I the 2025 class, the Buckeyes were included among the likes of Alabama, Florida State, Georgia, Penn State, and others. His father, Derrick Blaylock, spent seven seasons in the NFL with the Chiefs and the Jets after playing his college ball at Stephen F. Austin.

• In basically the only positive thing to happen to Ohio State’s special teams under position coach Parker Fleming, on Saturday the Buckeyes landed a commitment from one of the nation’s top long snappers, Morrow Evans. The No. 2 LS in the country will join Ohio State’s 2024 class as a preferred walk-on. He is former high school teammates with left guard Donovan Jackson.