COLUMBUS, Ohio – No program in the country has been more synonymous with elite wide receiver play than Ohio State, and on Friday following its second practice of preseason camp, that position group met with the media at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center.

The headliner of the group is a player that needs no introduction. Sophomore Jeremiah Smith is widely regarded as the top player in college football, coming off a freshman season that saw him catch 76 passes for 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns. He’ll be a candidate this fall for every major award, including the Heisman Trophy, as he attempts to become just the third full-time wide receiver to earn the honor.

But Smith’s star power – and mostly importantly his production – make him primed to add his name to college football’s most prestigious fraternity. The last image that fans had of him last season was a catch of third-and-11 late in the fourth quarter against Notre Dame that clinched the Buckeyes’ victory over Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff national championship game.

A Room Full of Talent

While Smith is the biggest name in Brian Hartline‘s wide receiver room, he’s far from the only player with high expectations heading into this season. Carnell Tate, a junior, was third on the team last season with 52 receptions for 733 yards and four touchdowns. Brandon Inniss, also a junior, is primed to take on an even bigger role after playing in 16 games last season and contributing 14 receptions for 176 yards and a touchdown.

And some names that fans should expect to hear more of in 2025 and beyond: Bryson Rodgers, a junior, Mylan Graham, a sophomore, and freshmen Quincy Porter, Bodpegn Miller, De’Zie Jones and Phillip Bell.

Ohio State: Wide Receiver U

Coach Brian Hartline, who will also serve as Ohio State’s offensive coordinator this season, has unquestionably turned the Buckeyes into Wide Receiver U. The NFL Draft numbers are evidence enough: Ohio State’s produced five first-round picks in the last four NFL drafts and leads all schools in total number of wide receivers drafted in the last 25 years.

Hartline not only has proven to be an elite identifier of talent, he’s also developed it at a high rate and been part of Ohio State’s best stretch of offense in school history. Since he became the wide receivers coach prior to the start of the 2018 season, the Buckeyes have finished with a top-15 nationally ranked passing offense three times and a top-10 scoring offense four times. And in three of the last four seasons, Hartline’s room has produced two 1,000-yard receivers. Prior to 2022, that had never happened in program history.

The Buckeyes have had the Big Ten’s Wide Receiver of the Year in each of the last three seasons – Marvin Harrison Jr. in 2022 and 2023 and Jeremiah Smith in 2024 – and is the only school in conference history to claim the award in three consecutive seasons.

Wide Receivers By the Numbers

148: Receptions last season among returning wide receivers.

2,048/19: Yards receiving and touchdowns last season by the duo of Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate.

1,000: Ohio State has produced at least one 1,000-yard receiver in each of the last five seasons.

50+: Jeremiah Smith led the nation with six receptions of at least 50 yards: 70 vs. Western Michigan, 68 vs. Northwestern, 60 vs. Nebraska, 56 vs. Notre Dame, 53 vs. Iowa and 53 vs. Marshall.

3: Carnell Tate needs just three yards receiving to reach 1,000 for his career. Entering his third season, Tate’s played in 28 games and started 15 times.

It’s not on par with making the switch from the Crips to the Bloods, but at the same time, in Ivy League circles, the move that Detroit Red Wings draftee Rudy Guimond is making would be construed as somewhat blasphemous.

The goaltending prospect was once committed to play college hockey at Yale. Guimond decommitted from that school. Now, he has announced a commitment to Yale’s arch-rival Harvard.

‼️🚨BREAKING🚨‼️
 
The Harvard Crimson have received a commitment from Rudy Guimond!

Sixth round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft by @DetroitRedWings

‘05 born net-minder from Quebec split 2024-25 between Cedar Rapids (USHL) & Moncton (QMJHL) pic.twitter.com/RcF8Q9kqN6

— College Puck NXT (@CollegePuckNXT) July 30, 2025

Guimond will be playing NCAA hockey for the Crimson beginning with the 2026-27 season. He’s already set to return to play the upcoming season with the QMJHL Moncton Wildcats.

“I am honored to announce my commitment to pursue academics and play D1 hockey at Harvard University,” Guimond posted on his Instagram account. “I would like to thank my family, coaches, and everyone who has helped me along the way.”

Moncton Move Paid Dividends For Red Wings Pick

Guimond joined Moncton last November, following the rule change that would allow CHL players to play in the NCAA. He made the move from Cedar Rapids of the USHL.

“For sure, it’s tough to leave the team and go to a different one, meet new guys, but that stuff happens in pro hockey,” Guimond said. “So I think I definitely developed on the maturity side of things.”

The change of locale also paid on-ice dividends for Guimond. He went 16-0 during the regular season with a 1.73 GAA and .940 save percentage. Helping the Wildcats reach the Memorial Cup by winning the QMHL title, Guimond was 8-1 with a 2.25 GAA and .916 save percentage in the playoffs.

Surprise inattendue aujourd’hui à Beaconsfield : Gabe a eu la chance de croiser la Coupe du Président !
Un gros merci à Rudy Guimond pour ce moment mémorable @monctonwildcats 🙌

Not every day you get to see the @LHJMQ Presidents Cup when out and about in the neighborhood! pic.twitter.com/TYVjtvxWuW

— Gregory Kelley (@gharperkelley) July 24, 2025

As much as it was about the success he enjoyed, Guimond’s decision to stay in Moncton was swayed by the opportunity to play another season for Wildcats coach Gardiner MacDougall.

“Yeah, he’s a really interesting guy,” Guimond said. “I think the big thing is that he tailors his way of doing things towards the person that you are. So he gets the best out of all of his guys. And that’s really impressive.”

Detroit Viewing Guimond As Long-Term Project

Selected 169th overall by the Red Wings in the 2023 NHL entry draft, the Detroit brass are looking upon Guimond as a long-term project. They like the idea of him playing college hockey.

“Now I think with the CHL rule and NCAA, it opens things up to a longer runway and more of an opportunity that these young prospects can play,” Red Wings assistant GM and director of amateur scouting Kris Draper said. “Whether it’s playing in the USHL or playing major junior. And still have the opportunity at 19 or 20 years old to go to school.

“It gives you a longer time and more of a development plan with these goalies.”

James Hagens can’t wait to play for the Boston Bruins.

The No. 7 overall pick in this year’s draft made that much clear at Bruins development camp earlier this summer. Even still, Hagens will have to wait a little while longer for that to happen, with all signs pointing toward him playing another season at Boston College this fall.

Hagens, 18, had 37 points with 11 goals in 37 games during his freshman season last year at BC. But while he himself had an overall solid campaign, it was a relatively disappointing one for the Eagles as a whole.

Despite being the top-ranked team in the country, BC fell short of winning a national championship. Back for another go around in Chestnut Hill, Hagens has his eyes set on redemption.

“I want to be able to win a Beanpot, be able to win a national championship,” Hagens told Mike Morreale of NHL.com. “Everyone has their roles, but our team goal is winning. That’s what we want to do. We fell short last year, but it’s hopefully going to happen this year.”

While Hagens is back as the pivot on the Eagles’ first line, his linemates from last season, Gabe Perreault and Ryan Leonard, are not. They’ve already graduated to playing in the pro ranks, leaving Hagens behind to shoulder more of the responsibility at BC.

“I think in some ways, it’s going to benefit him,” Bruins director of player development Adam McQuaid said during development camp. “Continuing to ramp up the commitment level and consistent impact that he’s capable of having, that’s the big thing for a lot of young players, bringing the consistency night in and night out. It’s not always going to be perfect. But just bringing the effort, and wanting to be a driver and a difference maker like he wants to be, will help him along in that process.”

It’s still possible that Hagens suits up for the Black and Gold at some point this season. Another successful run with the Eagles could very well lead to him signing an entry-level contract with the Bruins soon thereafter.

“You want to be ready,” Hagens said in June. “You want to be able to work for a roster spot with the Bruins, whether that’s going back to school or you’re doing it right away. I want to be Bruin really bad, so no matter the timeline, I’ll work towards that.”

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Joe Brady admits that, for the last 30 years, his commute from his home in Worcester to his jobs at Clark and Anna Maria were a breeze.

All Eyes On The Big Easy

By Christy Sandmaier and Nate Salsman

The last time New Orleans hosted the U.S. Championships was in 1995 when three-time Olympian John Roethlisberger and 1996 Olympic gold medalist Dominique Moceanu captured the men’s and women’s All-Around crowns. In 2025 new stars will emerge, new champions will be crowned, and history will be written as the next generation of Team USA begins their journey toward a lifelong Olympic dream. Now is their time to shine and write a few headlines of their own. Because as the song goes, “the best time’s right now.”

With the allure of a home Olympics in LA 2028 beaming on the horizon, the road to the Games promises to be brilliantly star-studded with every twist and turn imaginable. And it all begins in New Orleans at the Xfinity U.S. Championships! On the line: National titles and National Team spots from which the roster for the 2025 World Championships in Jakarta, Indonesia, will ultimately be selected! For the 2024 Olympians in the field, a new journey begins here as well. The Olympic hype and Team USA’s historic achievements in Paris have calmed just a bit, though the magic and memories burn bright. They have undoubtedly inspired a new roster of talent and further fueled the dreams of those who have been there, or who maybe just missed. Re-focused and re-charged, it’s Go Time!

Without nine-time U.S. All-Around Champion Simone Biles on the floor this year, the top of the podium is wide open. Primed for the spotlight is 2024 Olympic gold medalist Hezly Rivera. Once the youngest of the group, she’s now the veteran of the team and told us earlier this year she’d love to be “one of the best in the world” as her starting point on the way to LA. Rivera struggled on bars and beam at the U.S. Classic but certainly remains a contender. Presumably joining Rivera in the race for the top spots in Jakarta could be Olympic alternates Joscelyn Roberson, Leanne Wong, and Tiana Sumanasekera. With experience and stacked resumes, all three could make a run for the senior title in New Orleans if they compete all four events. Wong opted to compete bars and beam only at the recent U.S. Classic, while Sumansekera sat out the event in order to allow an ankle injury sustained at the Pan American Championships a little more time to heal. Roberson had a tremendous competition at the U.S. Classic and has the momentum right now to be in contention.

Already this season we’ve seen new faces emerge on the women’s senior scene, with WOGA’s Claire Pease taking gold at the U.S. Classic, followed by Simone Rose in second, with Roberson third. Pease, who is in her first year as a senior Elite, seems to have that “it” quality that combines both grace and power, while showing a laser-focus in competition. She came into the Classic a bit under the radar, but competed through each event with ease recording a 14.050 on vault and taking home gold on the event with a 13.575 average. If Pease has a strong showing at Championships, she could very well set herself up for a trip to her very first World Championships.

Back on the Elite scene following her freshman season as a Florida Gator, most likely on two events to start, will be Skye Blakely. After placing second at the 2024 Xfinity U.S. Championships, Blakely was in perfect position for Paris until a heartbreaking Achilles tear during podium training at Trials ended her Olympic dream. “I want to take my time. All-Around would be cool, but I also know that, first and foremost, I want to feel good and I want my body to be healthy. So if that’s just bars and beam, I think that’s already a great accomplishment for myself,” Blakely told us in May. Blakely sat out U.S. Classic, but her petition to Championships was accepted, and we’re excited to see what she can accomplish in New Orleans.

With successful outings at Winter Cup, on the World Cup circuit, and at Pan American Championships, look for Jayla Hang, Rose, Dulcy Caylor, Ashlee Sullivan, Pease, Gabrielle Hardie, and Nola Matthews to possibly make their moves in New Orleans. Hang captured the 2025 Pan American Championships All-Around title and could very well emerge as a star in the Big Easy. She competed bars and beam at Classic, and is excited to get back on the floor and compete all four events in New Orleans. We also have our eyes on Reese Esponda, who took gold on floor at U.S. Classic, after competing in Session 1 of two, with some of the best tumbling in the business. Her WCC teammate, Brooke Pierson, placed 4th in the All-Around at Classic, so keep an eye on her as well!

Notably, question marks currently surround the Elite competitive status of Shilese Jones, but what a joy it was to see her on the floor coaching at the Hopes Championships! After racking up six world medals, Jones entered 2024 as a near lock to make the Olympic Team. A devastating injury at the Olympic Trials took her out of contention and Jones had another surgery in the spring. However, she posted a video of her performing a layout Jaeger on bars and it appears there’s still a fire there to compete and challenge herself. It could be just a matter of where and when for Jones, because she certainly has the star-power, talent and resume to win any event she enters.

Also of note: injuries will prevent Madray Johnson (shoulder) and Zoey Molomo (knee) from competing at U.S. Championships in 2025.

Overall, the lineup for the 2025 Championships features an exciting mix of Olympic stars, new faces, and familiar headliners, all of whom will make for a thrilling competition in New Orleans. While the year after a Games is often a roster guessing game with no clearcut favorite to win, the athletes are ready to write new stories.

Here, we break down the field and take a closer look at the athletes we have on our ‘Must Watch’ list for New Orleans and beyond. The Road to LA is just heating up, and we’re right here for all of it! For our coverage of the 2025 Xfinity U.S. Championships, follow us @InsideGym and right here on InsideGym.com!

Coming Soon! Our 2025 Xfinity Gymnastics Championships Senior Men’s Preview

Scroll for our Inside Gymnastics preview, plus roster updates and links on how to watch!