We know that when USF head football coach Brian Hartline was at Ohio State, he was renowned for turning Buckeye receivers into high NFL draft picks. Starting in 2018, NFL teams took six Hartline proteges in the first round.
But that doesn't tell the whole story.
The contracts of top-level NFL receivers coached by Hartline total about $630 million. That includes the $168.6 milion extension Seattle just gave Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
With this new agreement, Seahawks Jaxson Smith-Njigba is contractually tied to Seattle for the next six years through the 2031 season. https://t.co/eqDxUvdEzZ
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 23, 2026
Here are the deals:
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, first round, 2023 by Seattle, 20th overall: $168.6 million, $120 million guaranteed.
Marvin Harrison, Jr, first round 2024 by Arizona, fourth overall: $35.37 fully guaranteed rookie contact with a $22.5 million signing bonus.
Garrett Wilson, first round 2022 by the Jets, 10th overall, $130 million contract with $90 million guaranteed.
Terry McLaurin, third round in 2019 by Washington, 76th overall, In 2025 he signed a $96 million extension with $44 million guaranteed and a $30 million signing bonus. That's after the three-year, $68.2 million extension Scary Terry signed in 2022..
Chris Olave, first round and 11th overall in 2022 by New Orleans. He earned $19.27 million on his rookie contract, which included a $11.2 million signing bonus. He is negotiating an extension expected to easily top $100 million.
Jamison Williams, first round and 12th overall in 2022 by Detroit. He played two years under Hartline before transferring to Alabama. He just signed an $83 million extension with $67 million guaranteed and a $15 million signing bonus.
Emeka Egbuka, first round and 19th overall in 2025 by Tampa Bay. Signed to a fully guaranteed $18.172 milllion and a $9.85 signing bonus
This list doesn't included Carnell Tate, who is expected to go in the first round of this year's draft. And don't forget Jeremiah Smith, who likely will add to Hartline's legacy when he is a top pick in 2027.
What makes Hartline so effective with receivers?
For starters, he was one himself. He had 344 receptions and 14 touchdowns in a seven-year NFL career. Before that, he had 90 catches in three years and 12 touchdowns at Ohio State.
"He wanted to change the trajectory of receivers at Ohio State," McLaurin told Greg Auman of Fox Sports. "He came in with instant credibility because he'd done it at the highest level. He was a Buckeye and had success, so it was easy to buy into everything he was teaching.
"He focused on the details. We were learning NFL techniques, NFL releases, learning to be the best college receivers but with an NFL mindset — everything from taking care of your body to studying film to winning 1-on-1s, just being a pro in general."
Love Coach 🤞🏾 pic.twitter.com/59GGPJhkzO
— Jeremiah Smith (@Jermiah_Smith1) December 3, 2025
Hartline is still 19th overall on the Buckeyes all-time receiving list. He coached four of the top receivers on that list.
"What people tend to forget is that he's been in all of our shoes before," Harrison told Fox. "He played in the NFL and knows exactly what it takes to be successful. He gave us everything he learned in his NFL journey. Coach Hart put up 200 yards in an NFL game. He can show us: ‘This is what I did.’ He understands what we're all going through."
Obviously, as the head coach Hartline won't be able to devote full-time to coaching USF receivers.. But he'll be paying close attention, and assuming the 12 receivers on USF's roster do the same, they might just cash in some day.