College football’s transfer portal has become a high-stakes auction house. And if Colin Cowherd’s latest intel is accurate, Ohio State might be the latest big spender trying to reload its depleted receiver room. Cowherd dropped a cryptic hint on his show. And it seems to be pointing straight at a star pass-catcher coming to Columbus.​

This is what Cowherd said during his show: “I was talking to an agent, an NIL agent, this weekend, and one of those 10 Northern schools I talked about, who already has two really good receivers that’ll play on Sundays, is bidding on another receiver, seven figures out of Syracuse.” The 10 schools Cowherd referenced in his “next decade” rankings include Miami, USC, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Notre Dame, Oregon, Ohio State, Michigan, and Indiana. Now, if you’re playing detective here, you’ve got to ask yourself which northern school from that list already has two NFL-caliber receivers on the roster. The answer becomes pretty obvious when you narrow it down.​

Ohio State fits the profile almost perfectly. The Buckeyes have Jeremiah Smith, the phenom sophomore who is projected as a future top pick in the 2027 NFL Draft. And until the last few weeks, they had Carnell Tate, who just declared for the 2026 NFL Draft. Those are your “two receivers that’ll play on Sundays.”

With Tate now NFL-bound and two more promising young receivers, Graham and Porter, jumping ship to South Bend, Ohio State’s depth chart suddenly looks alarmingly thin behind Jeremiah Smith. That’s the situation that makes throwing seven figures at a proven Power Four receiver start to make sense, even if it seems absurd to outsiders.​

So who’s the Syracuse target? The speculation is high here, but two names immediately jump out: Darrell Gill Jr. and Johntay Cook II. Gill was a consistent contributor for the Orange, posting over 500 receiving yards in back-to-back seasons and making brilliant plays along the way. But if we’re talking about a seven-figure investment, the smart money might be on Cook.

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The 6-foot-1 wideout was a five-star recruit out of DeSoto, Texas, in the 2023 class. He ended up being recruited by the Longhorns in a class that also included Arch Manning. At Texas, Cook appeared in 20 games. In 2024, he recorded 273 receiving yards and found the end zone twice. But along with dealing with injuries, Cook was pushed down the depth chart by other rising WR stars like Isaiah Bond, DeAndre Moore, Matthew Golden, Ryan Wingo and Silas Bolden. 

By November, Cook was out of UT. He would enter the transfer and go sign with the Washington Huskies on December 28th, 2024. But by January 14th, 2025, Cook and the Huskies had also parted ways.

Cook transferred to Syracuse on May 1, 2025, looking to rebuild his stock under Fran Brown. In 2025, he hauled in 549 yards despite an ankle injury and the Orange losing their starting quarterback midseason. Cook’s got the pedigree Ohio State loves, and his one year at Syracuse proved he can produce when given the opportunity.​

A week ago, Cook announced that he was entering the transfer portal. The Syracuse organization and Cook were unable to come to terms on a new contract, according to his father. His father went on to claim that the money offered resembled that of a first year starter rather than a proven veteran. Despite phone calls with head coach Fran Brown and offensive coordinator Jeff Nixon, the issue was never resolved.

Now, let’s acknowledge that this is all educated guesswork based on Cowherd’s breadcrumbs and circumstantial evidence. There’s no official confirmation that Ohio State is the school in question. And even if they are, there’s zero guarantee they land Cook or Gill or whoever they’re targeting. Other northern schools from Cowherd’s list could theoretically fit parts of the profile. Although none have the immediate “two NFL receivers” situation quite like Ohio State does.

What we do know for certain is that the Buckeyes are in desperate need of receiver help after watching their depth evaporate in a matter of days. And programs with that kind of urgency tend to open up their checkbooks. Whether it’s Cook, Gill, or someone else entirely, don’t be shocked if Columbus makes a major splash in the receiver market before the portal window closes. Seven figures buy a lot of trust in today’s college football landscape. And Ohio State has proven they’re willing to pay for talent that can help them chase championships.​

The Buckeyes’ receiver room exodus that started this mess

The reason Ohio State is even in the market for a seven-figure Syracuse receiver boils down to a brutal one-two punch that landed last week. Mylan Graham and Quincy Porter both packed their bags for South Bend. Graham, a former five-star recruit out of New Haven, Indiana, spent two seasons in Columbus, scraping together just six catches for 93 yards while buried behind Jeremiah Smith, Carnell Tate, and Brandon Inniss in the rotation.

Porter had it even tougher. The 6-foot-4 boundary receiver was the No. 3 wideout in the 2025 recruiting class but managed only four catches for 59 yards as a true freshman before deciding he needed a fresh start. Both guys still have their redshirts intact. For Ohio State, though? It’s a disaster. You don’t lose two five-star receivers in the same cycle, without feeling the heat to replace them immediately.​

What makes this sting even more for Ryan Day is that Ohio State reportedly tried hard to keep Graham in the fold after he hit the portal on January 4. But the pitch didn’t land. Graham had apparently wanted playing time. And with Tate declaring for the 2026 NFL Draft, there was finally room for him to carve out a role. But he chose Notre Dame anyway. He joined Porter as the second former Buckeye wideout to commit to the Irish this portal cycle. That’s the context behind Cowherd’s seven-figure Syracuse receiver intel. If things do pan out like Cowherd predicts, Columbus is about to get a dynamic, albeit mercurial, wide receiver with proven potential.