Brandon Inniss building toward breakout season for Buckeyes

INDIANAPOLIS — Ohio State cornerback Denzel Burke was asked a simple question Tuesday during his podium session at Lucas Oil Stadium

Q: ‘Who is the best trash-talking wide receiver on the team?’

Burke, of course, goes against those receivers every day in practice; he knows them well.

A: “Probably Brandon [Inniss] and Carnell Tate.”

Tate played more than any true freshman since 2019 last year. He’s a veteran at this point, so he should feel confident in his trash talking. As for Inniss, though, he had just one catch for 59 yards and a touchdown last year. That hasn’t deterred him at all from plenty of trash talk on the field, and it’s quickly being accompanied by more and more production.

Before long, he won’t just be known as an elite trash-talker in the Buckeyes receiver room. He’s building toward a large role in this offense — and a stat sheet in games to back up his mouth on the practice field.

“He will make spectacular catches,” Burke said. “Good route-runner, great speed. Physical and quick.”

Inniss came to Ohio State as an elite receiver prospect, the No. 35 overall player in the 2023 class according to the On3 Industry Rankings. He didn’t arrive until the summer, putting him behind fellow classmates Bryson Rodgers and the aforementioned Tate. He quickly became a part of the conversation — and then was a part of the receiver rotation entering the Cotton Bowl.

That game turned out to be an embarrassing offensive performance for the Buckeyes, and Inniss didn’t break out like he may have wanted to. But once Marvin Harrison Jr. moved to Arizona to become the top receiver for the Arizona Cardinals, Inniss became a necessary weapon in this offense.

Ohio State has all the talent at wide receiver — but depth is a real question. When asked about receiver depth, Buckeyes coach Ryan Day specifically mentioned Inniss.

“We’re kind of top-heavy there [at receiver],” Day said. “Then, okay, where is four, five, six, and seven? Brandon Inniss. You feel Brandon Inniss when he’s out there. So, this is going to be a great opportunity for him.”

This all comes just a couple of months after Day issued maybe the strongest endorsement for a Brandon Inniss breakout possible. Day raved about Inniss during spring practice, before the now-second-year receiver missed April with an injury.

Ohio State was on its way to giving Inniss a massive role in the offense before that injury. He’s now back and fully healthy for training camp, opening the door for his breakout once again.

“… Fierce competitor. Football player. Tough. The guy you want on your team,” Day said in March. “That’s Brandon Inniss. So now it’s time for him to go play here this spring, and he’s had a great offseason.”

If it’s not Inniss that becomes one of the leading receivers on this team alongside senior Emeka Egbuka, Tate and true freshman sensation Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State has other options.

But the odds that any of the others could prove to be better than a fully-healthy Inniss is unlikely considering the praise Inniss has drawn since last season ended.

“Jayden Ballard is another guy who’s been in the program a while,” Day said. “We need him to step up and make an impact. He is a down-the-field threat with great speed, and again this is somebody that has been in our program now. I think that’s another part of this team that we have is two, three, four, these guys have been in the program for a while now. So, there’s been a lot of built-up springs and summers and practices and development along the way. So, we need JB to step up and he’s been charged with that challenge along the way.

“[Second-year receiver] Bryson Rodgers is another guy that gives us some playmaking ability in the slot. He’s gotten bigger. He’s gotten stronger. He needs to continue to play that way because he has the ability to run routes and get open against anybody in the country in my opinion. [Third-year receiver] Kojo Antwi is someone that has to step up as well.”

But the bottom line is that Ohio State wants those other guys to earn roles and step up. Ohio State expects that from Brandon Inniss. He has already developed a reputation among teammates as one of the best trash-talkers on the roster.

Soon, he might insert himself as one of the best receivers — and pair that elite ability with the way he trash-talk defensive backs.

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