If you missed the news last week coming out of Ohio State spring ball, we got a little nugget about a pretty significant position change or two.
It’s no secret that the wide receiver group for the Buckeyes is a stacked one. The coaching staff hauled in the country’s top receiver from 2020 and 2021 according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings. In addition, Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave are still making plays with numerous other top fifteen type receivers in the mix. It all adds up to a lot of guys vying for playing time, and a challenge to keep them all happy.
That’s where Gee Scott, Jr. comes in. He committed to Ohio State in the 2020 class as the No. 10 rated receiver and No. 66 overall prospect according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings. In other words, he’s a talented kid that could probably carve out a starting spot for almost any other team in the country. By all accounts, he’s physical with outstanding hands.
He has more than enough talent to break into that rotation at receiver for OSU, but he’s got a frame that could very easily put on some muscle. Knowing that, he’s been seen working out at tight end in spring practice. He has struggled to stay at a playing weight of 215-pounds, but at tight end, he could still keep the speed he has, but add a few pounds easily and learn to become a good blocker. Add that to a position group that is thin, and the move makes a lot of sense.
And the interesting thing is that Gee came to the coaching staff about the change, not the other way around. When Day met with reporters last week, he seemed excited and intrigued about the move.
“We look at the way they’re built — certainly their knee size — the size of their legs is usually a pretty good indication of how much weight they can put on, and how much they can handle,” Day told reporters. “He was doing everything he could to stay at 215. He actually said that. He says I’m fighting every day to be at 215. He says if I just have a few Big Macs I can get to 225 in a heartbeat. We think that his growth potential fits that of a tight end.”
Picture Scott as a tight end and what a weapon he could be for the offense. With a guy that has wide receiver speed, he’s going to be covered up by linebackers most of the time. There simply aren’t too many linebackers that are going to be able to stay that type of fast-twitch talent. If Scott can put on the weight he needs and becomes solid in blocking, it’s a very intriguing possibility.
And, if a team decides to shade a defensive back over to cover him up, it opens things up for a receiving group that’s already going to be a handful for opponents. And let’s not forget about the possibility of pairing him with Jeremy Ruckert and really putting a pinch on coverage schemes.
Now, switching positions isn’t always a flip of the switch type of affair, so things will have to align with more than a dash of hard work from Gee. There will be a learning curve, but picture the possibilities, especially while the Buckeyes break in a new quarterback.
Oh, the intrigue …