Better Know a Buckeye: Jaeden Ricketts’ Elite Speed Gives Him Potential to Develop Into Playmaking Wide Receiver for Buckeyes

Jaeden Ricketts always wanted to be a Buckeye, growing up an Ohio State fan and attending as many games as possible after OSU started recruiting him. When the Buckeyes gave the Pataskala product an offer, he couldn't turn it down.

Background

Growing up just 25 miles away from campus, Ricketts earned an Ohio State offer in June 2024 following an impressive display at a high school football camp.

In what was a very quiet recruitment, the wideout was a frequent visitor at Ohio State, attending as many OSU home games as possible in 2024 and 2025. Ricketts committed to the Buckeyes on Nov. 16, 2024. He didn't hold a 247Sports composite ranking at the time and held only eight other Division I offers: Akron, Ball State, Bowling Green, Illinois, Kent State, Miami (OH), Ohio and Toledo.

Class of 2026 receiver Jaeden Ricketts was a Top Performer for @247Sports during the @BOTMWCombine on Monday in Noblesville.

Big, strong, physical and he can fly: https://t.co/bOzmK1fc74 @SWiltfong247 @MickWalker247 @AllenTrieu @JaedenRicketts2 pic.twitter.com/CLgtViAlCG

— Tom Loy (@TomLoy247) February 20, 2024

Ricketts had 28 catches for 542 yards and six touchdowns as a junior at Watkins Material. In his final high school season, Ricketts totaled 32 receptions for 498 yards and nine touchdowns.

Ohio State wide receiver commit Jaeden Ricketts runs for a 15-yard touchdown to give Watkins Memorial a 7-0 first-quarter lead over Worthington Kilbourne. pic.twitter.com/KtxaBNhraV

— Dan Hope (@Dan_Hope) August 22, 2025

Off the field, Ricketts showcased his speed on the track. He placed fourth at the Ohio high school track and field championships with a 10.50-second 100-meter dash in 2025. He also ran a 4.4-second 40-yard dash and a 22.19-second 200-meter dash in high school.

Scouting Report

The two things Ricketts is known for, at least currently, are his speed and ball skills. The 5-11, 201-pounder can glide past opposing defensive backs and make a play for the ball, even if it is a little off target.

As a slot receiver, he can create mismatches with his speed and route-running ability. His quickness off the line and ability to use his hands against press coverage allow him to find open windows early on and attack multiple coverages. When he gets the ball in his hands, Ricketts uses his speed to make plays, with an ability to create a big-time play at any moment of a game.

That said, Ricketts must develop physically and become a better perimeter blocker before he’ll earn a consistent role in Ohio State’s offense.

Depth Chart Outlook

At 5-11, Ricketts projects as a slot receiver for Ohio State. With that, he faces steep competition for playing time to start his Buckeye career. Brandon Inniss returns as Ohio State’s starting slot receiver for 2026, while offseason transfer additions Kyle Parker and Devin McCuin, sophomore De’zie Jones and fellow freshman Brock Boyd are also candidates to play in the slot.

While Ricketts certainly has the speed to be a dynamic playmaker in the slot, he’ll have to impress with his development and practice performance to climb his way to the top of a depth chart that projects to be loaded for years to come as the Buckeyes continue to stockpile five-star recruits at his position.

Player Comparison: Parris Campbell

Parris Campbell didn't record a single reception during his first two seasons at Ohio State, playing in nine games during that span.

That said, he gained more playing time and his stats increased in each of his final three seasons in Columbus, eventually becoming a 1,000-yard wide receiver for OSU as a fifth-year senior.

Campbell had 13 catches for 121 yards as a redshirt sophomore and 40 receptions for 584 yards and three touchdowns as a fourth-year player. As a redshirt senior in 2018, Campbell caught 90 passes – a school record at the time – for 1,063 yards and 12 touchdowns. He also added 23 carries for 210 yards and two touchdowns during his final three seasons at Ohio State.

After five years at Ohio State, Campbell was selected in the second round of the 2019 NFL draft. He totaled 123 catches (179 targets) for 1,117 yards and six touchdowns in 50 games (27 starts) during his NFL career before retiring from the NFL in May.

At 6-1 and 208 pounds, Campbell utilized his elite speed to maximize his effectiveness as a playmaker, just as Ricketts will look to do for the Buckeyes. While Ricketts having a 1,000-yard season at Ohio State like Campbell could be a tough task with the amount of talent he has around him in Ohio State’s receiver room, Campbell’s career progression provides a blueprint for Ricketts to become an impact player if he doesn’t play much early in his career.