COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio state football typically makes headlines for winning over established receivers among the nation’s elite.
Kyion Grayes, the Arizona candidate who pledged himself to the Buckeyes on Sunday, may still be becoming the receiver he will become.
Grayes appreciates comparisons with Chris Olave, not just because of his West Coast roots and because they have a similar start in recruiting rankings. It also weighs 1.80 m, 170 pounds, with physical characteristics and abilities similar to the deep threat of the Buckeyes.
This does not necessarily mean that Grayes fits the receiver at two depths in 2022 and beyond. However, there are reasons to believe that the versatility of the rising Top 150 will help it grow in the same way that Olave did.
This will not be an easy rotation to break, obviously. The 2022 reception room can be run by two elderly people in Kamryn Babb and Jameson Williams. So you have the three real freshmen in the 2020 class – Julian Fleming, Gee Scott and Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
Emeka Egbuka, Jayden Ballard and Marvin Harrison Jr. are just starting their careers now, but when Grayes arrives he may be reaching for bigger roles.
In addition to all this, the state of Ohio has already achieved the highest rated receiver for class 2022 at Caleb Burton.
Reports on Grayes show how he could open his own niche in that room. He is known for his strong, soft hands and the ability to open up with his technique and instinct. He could increase his slim figure, which would allow him to play more physically on the next level.
OSU receiver technician Brian Hartline sought versatility in building what is becoming the most talented body of receivers in the country. Although Grayes can fit anywhere, it also has features that can make it the best fit, or at least a preferable one, among the options that Buckeyes have in any given year.
There are similarities here with players like Garrett Wilson and Smith-Njigba. Both could play out for anyone, but Wilson has already taken over for OSU, and Smith-Njigba can spend most of his time there as well. Grayes’ ability to separate from below and control his body in small windows does not necessarily limit him to that role, but it can allow him to capitalize on that.
Grayes became the rare recipient of the state of Ohio who did not yet have a fifth star or a low number in his recruitment ranking. Like all other perspectives, however, he and the Buckeyes will be judged by the player he will become.
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