Sources: Buckeyes’ Smith-Njigba (hammy) out

No. 3 Ohio State can be with out star large receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba towards Rutgers on Saturday, sources instructed ESPN.

Smith-Njigba has been coping with a lingering hamstring difficulty, and the Buckeyes workers has been treating the damage with an abundance of warning to verify he is wholesome for the ending stretch of the schedule.

There is no set timetable on Smith-Njigba’s return. He’ll be evaluated once more going into subsequent week’s recreation at Michigan State. The Buckeyes (4-0) have a bye after the sport with the Spartans, and there is optimism that Smith-Njigba’s hamstring needs to be utterly healed by the point Ohio State faces Iowa on Oct. 22 and journey to Penn State on Oct. 29.

Smith-Njigba is taken into account among the best large receivers in faculty soccer and among the many high prospects within the upcoming NFL draft, as he caught 95 balls final season for 1,606 yards and 9 touchdowns. He averaged 16.9 yards per catch and 123.5 yards per recreation.

However after damage his hamstring early in Ohio State’s opener towards Notre Dame, Smith-Njigba has caught simply 4 balls for 36 yards in two video games this season. He was restricted towards each Ohio State and through his return on Sept. 17 in Ohio State’s blowout of Toledo.

Smith-Njigba is taken into account the No. 11 total participant within the nation, in keeping with ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay and No. 12 in Mel Kiper’s draft projections. Each have his because the No. 2 large receiver behind USC’s Jordan Addison.

In Smith-Njigba’s absence, two younger Buckeye stars have emerged as sophomores Emeka Egbuka and Marvin Harrison Jr. have each turn into key receivers for the Buckeyes.

Egbuka has a team-high 442 yards on 26 catches in 4 video games and Harrison has 387 on 21 catches. Every has caught 5 landing passes. Tight finish Cade Stover has additionally carved a much bigger area of interest within the Buckeye offense, catching 12 balls for 188 yards and two touchdowns.