One year ago, Jamier Brown was a kid from Dayton with all the speed and potential in the world to emerge as an elite wide receiver prospect.
Fast forward to present day, and the Wayne product has already lived up to his billing and then some. Brown has been a track star from day one in high school so naturally, he’s always been considered a true burner on the gridiron. Even still, it’s fair to say his football career has moved beyond that.
Growing up around an hour away from Ohio State, the five-star Buckeye wide receiver commit is considered the No. 3 prospect and the No. 1 wideout in the country in the 2027 class per 247Sports’ composite rankings. In one-on-one drills against defensive backs that are going to play Power Four football someday, Brown torched his competition, displaying smooth and fluid route running while not letting the football touch the ground. In his sophomore season, Brown caught 63 passes for 1,035 yards and 15 touchdowns.
“Definitely a better route runner, you know, just better separation,” Brown said of what he’s improved in his game from last year. “Definitely a better work ethic and just a better mindset than what I was last year.”
In short, it’s clear why Brian Hartline offered Brown the summer after his freshman year. Brown accepted the offer a few months later, becoming the first commit in Ohio State’s 2027 class, which now has two five-star commits with Brown and quarterback Brady Edmunds.
The NFL Draft cemented Brown’s belief in why he chose the Buckeyes, as Emeka Egbuka was drafted by the Buccaneers in the first round, making him the fifth OSU wide receiver to be taken in the first round within the past four drafts (Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Marvin Harrison Jr.). He’s the sixth if you count Jameson Williams, who transferred to Alabama after developing for two years under Hartline.
“It makes me think I made a great decision,” Brown said. “They were like one of the first ones to have five receivers go in the first round (within four years). Obviously, I want to be a part of that. I’m going to accomplish everything I can to be a part of that and I think I made the right decision.
“Coach Hartline is a great coach, coach Day is a great coach. Great people. Ohio State, it’s just lovely there, they’ve got a lot of great people and it’s a great environment. Hartline wants to see me just get better each and every day. He has a great connection with me and he’s loved talking to my family.”
Brown said he’s spoken a bit with Egbuka, who gave Brown his number and told him to reach out if he ever needed anything.
“He’s definitely a great brother, a great mentor,” Brown said.
Brown says he and his fellow 2027 commit Edmunds talked a few weeks ago, but the pair haven’t talked to each other too much outside of that. He says he’s hoping to further his relationship with his future quarterback later this summer.
Brown believes he’ll be a terrific addition to Ohio State’s wide receiver room. Currently measuring in at 5-foot-11 and 170 pounds, Brown said he’s open to playing either in the slot or outside.
“I’m a great leader and I bring fire to everybody,” Brown said. “I hype everybody up. I’m a great teammate, I’ll do whatever my team needs. So that’s what the coaches are going to get out of me.
“I’m an all-around player. That’s what I do. I make plays for my team, wherever my team needs me, that’s where I’m going to go.”
But as Uncle Ben once said in Spider-Man, with great five-star rankings and Ohio State wide receiver commitments come frequent flip rumors.
OK, maybe that’s not quite how it went. Nonetheless, Brown got a small taste of that following the Under Armour Next camp last month, when he was asked by Notre Dame reporters about his visit to South Bend this spring, which Brown maintains was more to visit his high school teammate Aamil Wagner than it was to check out the Fighting Irish.
Brown politely fielded a few more questions regarding Notre Dame, but as he donned an Ohio State necklace and a Block O tattoo on his arm, he made clear where he’s planning to end up.
“Whatever they say, I don’t really care about it,” Brown said of any speculation that he may attend another school. “Like I said, I’m committed to Ohio State and that’s where I’m going.”
