Four-star 2024 Philadelphia wide receiver Tyseer Denmark already talks like an Ohio State wide receiver.
Visiting Columbus Thursday to compete in a 7-on-7 tournament with his Roman Catholic High School teammates, Denmark said several key phrases that are sure to make him popular with the OSU faithful. Among them, the 5-foot-11, 180-pound wideout stressed the need to prove yourself daily with the ridiculously talented wide receiver room Brian Hartline has put together the past few seasons, the importance of competing like you haven’t won anything yet and called Michigan “the team up north.”
A top-100 prospect in the 2024 class, Denmark has picked up more than 30 Division I offers. His offer sheet includes Alabama, Georgia, USC, Texas A&M, Oregon, Texas, Miami and many other premier schools. But he says his Ohio State offer is “at the top” of his list so far.
“Columbus, it feels like home,” Denmark said Thursday. “It feels like a good place for me. I always feel love with coach Hartline and coach (Ryan) Day. So it feels great to be back on campus.”
From his play on the field Thursday, it was easy to see why the Buckeyes extended an offer to Denmark in December. In pool play, Denmark was all too eager to assist his team however necessary, playing defensive back and even long snapping occasionally in addition to his wide receiver duties.
Once a single-elimination tournament began, Denmark took over, becoming the team’s primary go-to target and torching defensive backs for multiple touchdowns and long gains. His footwork, speed and agility made him stand out as the best athlete on the field in Thursday’s tournament.
Four-star 2024 wide receiver Tyseer Denmark (@tyseer5denmark), who holds an Ohio State offer, makes a touchdown catch at OSUs seven-on-seven tournament. pic.twitter.com/ohVpGiM3lt
— Garrick Hodge (@Garrick_Hodge) June 16, 2022
Day, Hartline and Mark Pantoni all caught glimpses of Denmark’s performance on the field.
“That’s my dog,” Denmark said of his relationship with Hartline. “He’s got a great relationship with my family. A great relationship with my mom, and I brought them up for my first visit and they really loved it.”
Hartline has told Denmark he could play either outside or inside receiver at the next level, but ideally envisions him as a slot receiver similar to Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Denmark said he and Hartline talk “here and there,” but haven’t as much recently after the passing of Denmark’s brother.
“We talk once in a while, but every time we talk, it’s a great conversation,” Denmark said.
Denmark’s first visit to Columbus was Ohio State’s spring game on April 16, where the wideout said he was blown away by more than 60,000 fans in attendance for a spring game. He also enjoyed watching fellow Philly product and Ohio State wideout Marvin Harrison Jr., who he called “a dog” and said he admires how much Harrison Jr. competes every day.
Buckeye Nation talk to me! @OhioStateFB pic.twitter.com/FxMDIkueXM
— tyseer5denmark (@tyseer5denmark) April 15, 2022
The pair’s schools played each other in Denmark’s freshman year of high school, and the duo have spoken about Ohio State at length together. Harrison Jr. isn’t actively recruiting Denmark to join him at OSU, respecting the choice he’ll make in his recruitment. But there isn’t a question he won’t answer.
“I talked to him about why he likes it here, what are fun things to do, why did you come here, really all of the basic stuff that I needed to know,” Denmark said. “He’ll let me make my decision myself. I told him that I do like the school though, I do really feel comfortable with it. But he’ll never be like ‘Bro, come here’ or whatnot. I’m pretty sure he’s got that in the back of his head but he’ll never come to me and tell me that.”
The pair’s relationship is evolved enough to where the younger wideout isn’t afraid to critique his elder statesman.
“When I was at the spring game, he did something I didn’t like, so I messaged him about it,” Denmark said.
What did Harrison Jr. do that drew the ire of Denmark?
“Oh, he just jogged his route and didn’t block,” Denmark said. “I know he’s way faster than that. So he jogged and I texted him afterward ‘Bro, don’t jog no rep. Make everything look like you’re running a go route.’”
That small exchange speaks to how competitive Denmark is. When Roman Catholic lost in the second round of the single-elimination tournament Thursday, Denmark was visibly upset. His competitive fire is also why he finds the Buckeyes so appealing.
— tyseer5denmark (@tyseer5denmark) May 23, 2022
“How bad they want it,” Denmark said of the most appealing thing about playing for Ohio State. “They want it like they haven’t won anything yet. They go out and compete every day like they haven’t accomplished anything. That’s also the type of guy I am. All they do is compete, I love that. Every time I come here everybody’s competing. There’s not one person here that thinks he’s better than somebody.”
Although he’s just entering his junior year, Denmark said he hopes to make a college commitment toward the end of this season, either in November or December. He said he’s certainly going to make at least one more visit to Ohio State before making a college decision.
“Definitely, I have to come back for the team up north game,” Denmark said. “I want my brothers to see that experience. That’s the game I really want to be at. I want to be at a couple games but that’s the one I really want.”
Denmark also said he’d like to attend Ohio State’s season opener on Sept. 3 against Notre Dame.
In addition to OSU, other schools Denmark is high on include Alabama, Penn State, Rutgers, Oregon, Ole Miss, Cincinnati and South Carolina.
Could Denmark announce his intentions to join Ohio State’s loaded wide receiver corps in a few months? If he does, he knows he’s not in for an easy ride.
“It says everything,” Denmark said about Ohio State’s recent wide receiver developmental track record. “Like, we’ve got to be top dogs here to be receivers. We’re the playmakers, so you have to make plays here. You can’t come here and be a slouch, you’ve got to want it, because they bring in top guys.
“They bring in Julian Fleming, Marvin Harrison Jr., Gee Scott, and they bring dogs in every year in every class. Right now they’re recruiting Carnell Tate and Brandon Inniss, and in my class, they’re recruiting Joshisa Trader, so everybody. The receiver room is always going to be stacked, so you have to bring it every day and you have to want it.”
