Ryan Day scored the steal of a recruiting cycle when he added Jeremiah Smith to his WR room. He already has one of the most elite WR depth charts amongst CFB programs, in a trend that continues under Brian Hartline. It couldn’t hurt to add more names to the depth chart. The HC scored a double jackpot coming off Mater Dei in Chris Henry Jr. and Kayden Dixon-Wyatt. However, Ohio State is no longer a contender in a major WR’s top choice of programs. It’s a little surprising, as that Day doesn’t really miss out on WR prospects because of the Hartline-Smith combo.
The HC was already on the tail end of 4-star WR Brayden Robinson‘s list of favorites. OSU was behind Miami, Notre Dame, and Arizona in the run-up to his commitment announcement. “Having the opportunity to play for Coach [Brian] Hartline and Coach Day speaks for itself. The production at the receiver position is one of one, and with Coach Hartline being the OC I can see the production being taken to an even higher level,” he told On3‘s Steve Wiltfong. But despite his high praise, it seems the WR will be striking the program off his list, for good.
Scheduled to announce his commitment on July 20, Robinson just announced that he will not visit Ohio State officially. He was going to arrive in Columbus on June 13, but it now stands cancelled. He announced the news on X, amid rumors of Marcus Freeman becoming a strong contender in his recruitment. Notre Dame is one of his top favorites. OSU, on the other hand, stands a less than 1% chance at scoring Robinson, according to On3. The Fighting Irish, on the other hand, have a 75.4% chance of landing the WR at South Bend.
I will NOT be taking my official visit to Ohio State #TrustTheProcess @SWiltfong_ @TomLoy247 @MikeRoach247 @samspiegs
— Brayden “Quick6ix” Robinson (@_Quick6ix) May 10, 2025
Robinson is the No. 52 WR in the 2026 class. He comes with 2,328 receiving yards, 32 TDs from a prep career of three years so far. Despite the ranking, he’s got some more talents up his sleeve. He timed 10.4 seconds in a 100m sprint and is also talented as a returning kicker and punter. From the special team department, Robinson is bringing to the table 697 yards and 10 punt returns. He’s a fast guy with versatility embedded in him, which Day could have used to great lengths.
Ryan Day lost early in this recruiting battle because of how keenly Notre Dame and Miami are pursuing him at the moment. “It’s just the effort (the schools are making),” he told On3. Even after having Brian Hartline as WR coach and possibly the best possible WR in CFB currently, Day is likely to lose out on the key addition of Brayden Robinson. But, he has some good news coming in from his latest WR recruit.
Ryan Day wins major victory with key recruit’s announcement
Kayden Dixon-Wyatt will be joining his Mater Dei teammate from 2023, Chris Heny Jr., at Ohio State. The former proves to be a serious help for new starting QB Justin Sayin, who will continue the legacy left behind by Will Howard. Dixon-Wyatt was still hearing from other schools even after committing to OSU, but that will no longer be the case. The WR is a through-and-through Buckeye, as he officially shut down his recruitment process.
“If you want to be an elite receiver, you go to Ohio State,” Dixon Wyatt said when he announced his commitment. “It’s obviously a no-brainer. Coach (Brian) Hartline and all the guys, really good,” he added. Day had scored him over Oregon and USC, ending his years-long drought of recruiting Mater Dei talent at Columbus. “I know where home is. The coaches, the culture, and the opportunity to develop at the highest level—there’s nowhere else I’d rather be,” Dixon-Wyatt said on X, announcing the end of his recruitment.
Having a power-packed WR room once again is now growing into a strength of Ryan Day. Hartline has already made history by having 5 of his players drafted in the NFL, and he looks close to raising that number to 6 with Smith. But amidst these victories, Day will have to take a blow in the depth chart for the room, as Robinson seems to grow closer with the folks at Notre Dame.
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