Terry McLaurin’s Surprise Move: Is Ohio State’s WRU Dominance About to Reach Unstoppable Levels?

Can a college football program really earn the nickname “WRU”—Wide Receiver University—and then back it up season after season? Ohio State is not just making that claim; they’re backing it with some serious hardware and deep pockets. As the Buckeyes gear up to defend their 2024-25 national championship, they’ve lost star wideout Emeka Egbuka to the NFL but gained enormous cred thanks to rising sophomore Jeremiah Smith—already hailed as one of college football’s best. And if you’re still wondering whether Ohio State is the premier factory for elite receivers, just take a peek at the staggering contracts their alumni are raking in. From Garrett Wilson’s $130 million to Terry McLaurin’s fresh $96 million extension, these numbers don’t lie—Ohio State’s WRU prophecy is alive and kicking. So, as the Buckeyes prepare for a high-stakes rematch against Texas, the question is: can anyone else even come close to this level of receiver excellence? I’m all in to watch it unfold. LEARN MORE.

The Ohio State football program is currently preparing to defend its 2024-25 national championship, with the start of this year’s college football season less than a week away. This past spring, the Buckeyes lost wide receiver Emeka Egbuka to the NFL Draft, where he was a first round pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but they still have arguably the best player in college football in rising sophomore wideout Jeremiah Smith.

Egbuka joins a long list of former Ohio State players in the NFL, giving the Buckeyes a legitimate claim as the best wide receiver factory in the country, known by many fans as WRU.

Recently, Sam Block of ESPN put into perspective just how many elite wide receivers Ohio State football has produced over the years with a list on X, formerly Twitter.

“Garrett Wilson… $130 Million. Terry McLaurin… $96 Million. Marvin Harrison Jr… $35 Million. Curtis Samuel… $24 Million. Chris Olave… $19 Million. Emeka Egbuka… $18 Million. Jameson Williams… $17 Million. Jaxon Smith-Njigba… $14 Million,” he wrote in his post.

“Stop debating. Ohio State is WRU,” he added.

McLaurin agreed to the $96 million extension with the Commanders on Monday, giving Ohio State another highly paid wide receiver in the NFL.

While some of the players on the list, including most notably Jameson Williams, are not as well-known for their time at Ohio State as they are at other schools, that still doesn’t diminish Ohio State’s potential role in their development.

A storied tradition for the Buckeyes

Jeremiah Smith sure looks like the next elite wide receiver for Ohio State in a long line of players who fall into that category. Smith torched opposing defenses all year last season as an 18 year-old freshman, including hauling in the game-clenching catch against Notre Dame to help the Buckeyes win their first national championship in a decade.

Smith enters this year viewed by many as one of the, if not the best player in college football, and he’ll have plenty of help in that department as well.

The Buckeyes now just have a few days to get things in order before they kick off their 2025 season at home against Texas in a playoff rematch on Saturday at 12:00 PM ET.

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