Ohio State freshman WR becomes first in '26 Class to shed black stripe

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Ohio State football has six practices in the books, and multiple newcomers have already shed their black stripes. After Tuesday's practice, head coach Ryan Day confirmed that freshman wide receiver Brock Boyd is the latest to earn that distinction, making him the first member of the 2026 recruiting class to do so.

That part is what makes this noteworthy. Boyd came in as a 3-star prospect ranked No. 123 at wide receiver according to 247Sports, yet he beat out every other freshman to reach this milestone first. The 2026 class itself is loaded, ranking inside the top five nationally with two five-star recruits and 16 four-stars, and the wide receiver room in particular is stacked with competition. None of that slowed Boyd down.

Most Ohio State fans probably anticipated Chris Henry Jr., the No. 2 wide receiver in the class, or Jerquaden Guilford, ranked No. 12 at the position, to be the first wideouts knocking that stripe off their helmets. Instead, it was Southlake Carroll's all-time receiving leader quietly going about his business and earning it ahead of everyone.

Ohio State wide receivers coach Cortez Hankton also spoke on Boyd over the weekend, offering some insight into what the freshman has shown since arriving in Columbus.

Boyd has clearly made an impression early, and everything points to a young receiver actively working to carve out a real role in this offense sooner rather than later.

This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: Ohio State freshman WR becomes first in '26 Class to shed black stripe

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