INDIANAPOLIS — Few position groups in the country have been as deep as the Ohio State receiver room dating back to 2019. But with Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba all having established themselves in the NFL, and Marvin Harrison Jr. set to join them this season, the Buckeyes now find themselves in need of reloading at the position ahead of the 2024 season.

The talent level remains unsurpassed in the nation thanks to the continued recruiting prowess of receivers coach and co-offensive coordinator Brian Hartline, giving Ohio State no shortage of promising options to fill its rotation. With camp set to begin in one week, though, Ohio State must quickly figure out which of those promising options will be most ready to shoulder the load when the season kicks off against Akron on Aug. 31.

Fortunately for Ohio State, it will be able to rely on the return of one of the game’s best playmakers — senior Emeka Egbuka — to buoy the position while the rest of the depth chart materializes.

After bursting onto the scene with a 1,100-yard, 10-touchdown season in 2022, Egbuka was unable to replicate that success last season thanks in part to an ankle injury that sidelined him for three games and inconsistent quarterback play. Despite the slowed production, Egbuka’s draft stock hardly suffered, with many draft evaluators believing he was a fringe first-round talent in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Although his path to the NFL and a lucrative contract were clear, Egbuka spurned the league to return to Columbus for one more run at a Big Ten and national championship. And now fully healthy, it may be time for the country to become reacquainted with the former five-star recruit who sits less than 900 yards away from Ohio State’s career receiving yards record.

“Emeka Egbuka, I can’t say enough about who Emeka is,” head coach Ryan Day said on Tuesday during Big Ten Media Days. “He’s an old soul. Since he has been here, he’s been a warrior. He has his degree. He had to make his decision on whether he wanted to go to the NFL or not. He decided to come back with a degree in hand.”

Day added, “We didn’t get to see the best version of him last season with his ankle injury, but we’re seeing it now. He’s always been a leader. He’s been a leader since he walked in the building as a freshman, but now he gets an opportunity to do that as a senior.”

Whether it’s been running the ball, blocking, or returning punts in addition to being a playmaker in the passing game, Egbuka has been called upon to do a multitude of things to help the team since arriving at Ohio State. That versatility will certainly be tapped into even more so this season and Day knows Egbuka is the right kind of player to handle such a large task.

“When I think of Emeka, I think about someone who’s strong,” Day said. “Strong as a player, strong mentally, and strong in his faith. He’s somebody that’s a warrior and somebody we’re going to count on this year in big spots.”

For all of his physical talents, Egbuka’s value extends to his impact off the field in a room full of players still trying to carve out their place in the program. Those leadership responsibilities aren’t lost on Egbuka, nor is he going to shy away from fulfilling his role in keeping Ohio State’s pipeline of future NFL receivers in full flow.

“I try to give little bits and pieces of what I’ve learned here throughout the years to the young guys and just kind of be a big brother and role model for them,” Egbuka said. “That’s something I definitely don’t take lightly because I know how much Garrett (Wilson) and Chris (Olave) meant to me, and Jaxon (Smith-Njigba). So I’m just trying to be that for those guys, and it’s not too hard when you have such special talents like them.”

Reach Dillon Davis at 740-413-0904. Follow him on X @DillonDavis56.