Ohio has struck gold in recent seasons when recruiting receiving talent, with two wide receivers having over 100 yards in each of the past couple of seasons, Coleman Owen and Chase Hendricks. Owen graduated following the 2024 campaign, which set the table for Hendricks' breakout season last year.
The last two seasons, the Bobcats have been led by Parker Navarro, who used his mobility to elude defenses and make big plays to these star receivers, but also found success in his safety nets, the tight ends.
The run-heavy effort for Ohio’s offense will always call for strong tight end play. Over the past two offseasons, the Bobcats have seen two talented players take the same path, departing Athens for Columbus and the Ohio State Buckeyes. This change hurts continuity for the program but opens the door for the next man up.
Who Left
Ohio’s top two receiving weapons of 2025 both saw their careers in Athens come to an end in the transfer portal. Star receiver and slot weapon Chase Hendricks went to play at the University of California, while Rodney Harris II joined the Oklahoma State Cowboys.
Hendricks led the team in 2025 with 71 receptions, 1,037 yards and seven touchdowns, as he and Navarro developed quite a connection. Harris II had a quiet but impactful year for the Bobcats, with 30 catches for 419 yards and two scores, one of which was the game-sealing score in last year's Battle of the Bricks.
As previously, these were not the only losses for Ohio. Its third-leading receiver, tight end Mason Williams, will be playing at Ohio State, following in the footsteps of former Bobcat Will Kacmarek, who made the move the prior offseason.
Losing your top three receiving threats can be a challenging test for any head coach, but especially a first-year man like Ohio’s John Hauser. Hauser and his staff have put a ton of work into camp this year, emphasizing the culture that brought the team four consecutive seasons of nine or more wins, which included 2024’s Mid-American Conference title.
Who’s Back
Losing your top three receiving targets never leads to an easy offseason, but there are some familiar faces in the receiver room for the Bobcats. Two names to keep an eye on are redshirt sophomores Dom Dorwart and Riley Neer.
Dorwart saw his role expand as the 2025 season progressed, being used as a threat down the field. He ended the year with 11 receptions and 119 yards. This is a small sample of what’s to come in 2026 as Dorwart looks to expand his role and find the end zone for the first time as a Bobcat.
Neer has had limited opportunities so far during his time in Athens, but during the spring game, he seemed to have a strong connection with expected starting quarterback Nick Poulos. This wide receiver room has a lot of veteran experience, but look for Neer to be a breakout player in the Ohio offense this year.
“Riley Neer had a great spring for us at wideout,” Hauser said.
The tight end position has a ton of question marks for the Bobcats, as their returners have only taken special teams and blocking snaps, not running many routes to this point, but with the introduction of a new group on the offensive line, having experienced blockers at tight end will only help aid this group grow throughout the year.
Who’s New
Redshirt freshman Preston Bowman is a name to know around Athens this fall. The Pickerington North graduate and Kentucky transfer has been making noise all offseason, striving to be the next playmaker for the Bobcats.
“Preston Bowman's done a really good job coming in and showing he can be explosive,” Hauser said after the spring game.
Ohio will be looking for answers to who will fit into roles all year, and Hauser has been transparent all offseason about the grind that a roster overhaul can have on a program with big aspirations, but doing the small things will continue to be key for him and these Bobcats in 2026 as they prep to take the field.
