COLUMBUS — When wide receiver Brandon Inniss arrived at Ohio State as a 5-star recruit in its 2023 recruiting class he was expected to excel as a pass catcher and a leader.

He checked the leadership box last season when he was one of four Buckeyes who were named team captains.

Playing at an elite level is still a search in progress for Inniss in what will be the second year as a starter for the 6-0, 200-pound senior from Hollywood, Fla.

He caught 36 passes for 271 yards and 3 touchdowns last season and has 51 catches and 5 touchdowns in his career. He caught 14 passes as a sophomore and one as a freshman.

“Freshman year I was learning a lot behind Emeka (Egbuka). Sophomore year I thought I was going to be the guy but Emeka got injured and came back for his senior year. Last year I became a starter but we still had JJ (Jeremiah Smith) and Carnell (Tate). We had a lot of guys to feed,” Inniss said earlier this week.

“I’ve got one year left and I’m going to do everything I can to be a first-round pick,” he said.

“I need to be more explosive after the catch. I need to have all the production I can when I have the ball in my hands. I have to catch the ball, I have to create a lot of separation and be dominant on the perimeter.”

With Tate declaring for the NFL draft and five other OSU receivers entering the transfer portal Inniss probably will get more catches. Five-star freshman Chris Henry Jr. and two transfer wide receivers could also be in the picture.

Kevin McCuin, who caught 65 passes for 726 yards and 5 touchdowns last season at NCAA Division I Texas-San Antonio, and Kyle Parker, who had 31 catches for 330 yards and 4 touchdowns at LSU last season, transferred to Ohio State.

McCuin and Parker are the first wide receivers Ohio State has brought in through the transfer portal. They are among 51 players on the Buckeyes’ roster who are in their first year at OSU.

With all those first-year players, Inniss has tried to use his leadership skills during winter conditioning and this spring.

“You have to set the standard. You have to show them the standard,” he said.

One way he did that was by becoming one of four players named Iron Buckeyes for their dedication and leadership in the off season weight training program. The other three were Jeremiah Smith, linebacker Garrett Stover and safety Jaylen McClain.

His focus on becoming an Iron Buckeye was illustrated by his decision to pass up a chance to participate in the Buckeye Cruise for Cancer.

“In the off season my No.1 goal was to be an Iron Buckeye. I got an opportunity to go on the Buckeye Cruise but there’s a rule that if you go on the Buckeye Cruise you can’t be an Iron Buckeye. And I was solely focused on being an Iron Buckeye and being one of the hardest workers on the team.”