Early development of Brandon Inniss reminding Brian Hartline of Chris Olave

COLUMBUS — Brian Hartline has an encyclopedic knowledge of Ohio State wide receivers. He was one and he’s coached them the last five years.

But Hartline, now doubling as the Buckeyes’ offensive coordinator, isn’t always one for comparisons. Except, when summer arrival Brandon Inniss came up Tuesday, the first-year OC identified a parallel between the first-year wideout and a former Ohio State star.

“When Chris [Olave] came in in June [2018], it just took him a little more time to kind of just establish himself. Not that he wasn’t capable. I see a lot of correlation there with Brandon. He’s doing a phenomenal job. And he’s going to help us a lot this year.”

Inniss was the lone Buckeyes wide receiver in the 2023 class to not enroll early. His arrival was highly anticipated. The former four-star standout at American Heritage was the No. 35 overall prospect, No. 5 wideout and No. 10 Florida recruit this past cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking.

Inniss is coming off a senior year in which he set American Heritage single-season records for receptions (66) and receiving yards (1,244), in addition to piling up 14 touchdowns.

Now he’s in a Buckeyes receiver room that ran 6-7 wideouts deep in the spring, according to Hartline, and has since grown, in part because of Inniss joining the fold.

Because he missed spring ball, Inniss isn’t a lock for meaningful offensive snaps from the get-go like classmate Carnell Tate seems to be. That said, Inniss still has a good shot of seeing the field this year.

“I would say Brandon, being a guy that unfortunately couldn’t be here in the summer, you worry about him being behind,” Hartline said. “I haven’t felt that lag. He’s really caught up to the guys.

“He’s very inquisitive, asks great questions. Sometimes guys ask questions, and you’re like, ‘Gosh, I wish you didn’t ask me that question.’ The question itself scares you, but, like, he asks some good questions.”

While Inniss has much to learn, he came to Ohio State with a suitable frame, standing 6-foot, 207 pounds. Plus, he communicated with Hartline before he even got to Columbus so he could stay up to date with what was going on with the Buckeyes’ offense.

And even though he didn’t start his Ohio State career in January, the reigning Florida Gatorade Player of the Year found himself in the Woody Hayes Athletic Center for spring visits.

“Brandon’s just a huge playmaker,” Buckeyes junior wideout Emeka Egbuka said. “He goes up and attacks the ball. He’s strong, he’s confident. He goes out there, and he just balls.

“He just tries his hardest, he tries his best. And there’s never a half-hearted rep with him.”

Egbuka said Tuesday that Inniss is picking up the offense extremely fast. Earlier in the week, head coach Ryan Day noted that Inniss had himself a nice scrimmage over the weekend.

Coupled with his pursuit of offensive snaps, Inniss is striving to make an impact on special teams, including in the return game.

Egbuka called Inniss a “great competitor” and a “joy to be around.”

“Him and Carnell go back and forth a lot,” Egbuka said, “which is really funny to be a part of and be around.”

Fellow Buckeyes star wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. added: “Definitely Brandon and Carnell remind me of me and Mek (Emeka), and how we came in when we were freshmen. So those are two very talented receivers. I definitely see what their future holds.”

Harrison and Egbuka emerged on the heels of eventual first-round NFL Draft picks Garrett Wilson, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Olave.

Next up? It could be Tate and Inniss.

“That’s just kind of how it is with receivers now,” Harrison said. “The new group comes in, and they just remind you of your younger selves, and that’s just kind of how it is.”

Back to the Inniss-Olave parallel Hartline mentioned: 90 of Olave’s 165 offensive snaps as a true freshman came in the Buckeyes’ final four games of the 2018 season, per Pro Football Focus.

Olave’s breakout that year helped Ohio State lock down the Big Ten. His two receptions against Michigan went for touchdowns, and he turned in a five-catch, 79-yard, one-score performance in a Big Ten title victory over Northwestern.

If Inniss develops in 2023 like Olave did in 2018, maybe, he, too, can help Ohio State win the Big Ten as a true freshman.

“I think we all wish he was here in January,” Day said. “But that’s OK. He’s doing a great job. He had to come in in the summer and kind of figure all that out. And, so, he will.”

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