Get to know Zephyrhills (Fla.) Wiregrass Ranch four-star wide receiver Bryson Rodgers, who signed his national letter of intent with Ohio State on Wednesday.
Height, Weight: 6-0½, 175.
247 Composite Rankings: He’s rated as the 325th overall prospect, 45th-best wide receiver and No. 61 recruit out of Florida.
Commitment Date: Rodgers committed to Ohio State on April 17.
Other Offers: Alabama, Arkansas State, Auburn, Cincinnati, Florida International, Florida, Florida Atlantic, Florida State, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Houston, Howard, Indiana, Iowa State, Kentucky, Louisville, LSU, Maryland, Miami (FL), Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Mississippi State, Missouri, NC State, Nebraska, Ole Miss, Oregon, Penn State, Pitt, Rutgers, South Carolina, Tennessee, Tennessee State, Texas, Texas A&M, UCF, USF, Utah, Virginia Tech, Washington, West Virginia.
How he did in high school: Wiregrass Ranch doesn’t have a huge proclivity toward throwing the football, as the team passed for just 743 yards while rotating through several quarterbacks in 2022. Still, Rodgers hauled in 21 passes for 270 yards and five touchdowns while missing two of the team’s games. His junior-year numbers far exceeded those, with 42 receptions for 645 yards and 14 scores.
Why he committed to Ohio State: While he lives in Florida at the moment, Rodgers is actually from Warren, Ohio originally and has always held a strong interest in OSU’s program.
The allure of Ohio State wide receivers coach Brian Hartline, who’s churned out NFL wide receiver talent ever since taking over the position room in Columbus, combined with that familiarity proved too much to pass on.
“It was a dream come true,” Rodgers told Eleven Warriors in February after getting his Ohio State offer. “There’s definitely a great bond between myself and coach Hartline. It’s amazing just getting to know him more and how he puts his players in the best position to succeed.”
He visited the Buckeyes’ campus unofficially April 16, a day before his commitment April 17. At the time the only crystal ball prediction for Rodgers was selecting him to go to Florida.
Rodgers is one of four wideouts secured by OSU in the 2023 class, joining Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) American Heritage five-star Brandon Inniss, Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy four-star Carnell Tate and Rolesville, North Carolina four-star Noah Rogers.
Where he fits for 2023: It’s no secret Ohio State has one of the deepest wide receiver rooms in college football, so it’s unlikely Rodgers gets much playing time as a freshman and is probably a candidate to redshirt. His development will mostly occur in the weight room and on the practice field.
