The 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris wrapped up on Sunday. A major part of the closing ceremonies was setting the table for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. While breakdancing won’t be returning in four years, one of the sports that will be making its debut is flag football. What will be interesting to see is if the NFL allows their players to compete in the games. Early signs are pointing towards there being NFL involvement since flag football has Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts as an ambassador. One major conflict that could keep NFL players out of flag football in the Olympics is training camps for NFL teams normally opening up around the time the Olympics normally start.
If NFL players are allowed to compete in flag football at the Olympics, there is likely to be a large contingent of former Ohio State players involved. Just look at some of the top young players in the NFL right now and it’s easy to envision them being selected to play in Los Angeles in 2028. Not only has Ohio State recently produced some of the best wide receivers in the league, but C.J. Stroud was also the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year at quarterback in 2023, and they have a couple of the best running backs in the country heading into the 2024 college football season. Ohio State also has a lot of defensive talent currently in Columbus and in the NFL that could be selected for the national team depending on what areas of defense are prioritized in a five-on-five game.
Today we want to know what Ohio State player you’d like to see play flag football in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. We are going to assume that the NFL and the players will come to an agreement that will allow them to play in the games. With the league likely moving to 18 regular season games soon and cutting the preseason down to two games, training camps won’t need to open quite as early as they currently do, and those that would be in consideration to play in the Olympics are some of the best players in the NFL and likely wouldn’t be playing much in the preseason anyway. If the NHL can find a way to send their players to the Olympics during their season, the NFL certainly can make it happen before their season kicks off.
Brett’s answer: Garrett Wilson
If you throw the football to Garrett Wilson, he is likely going to catch it. On a shortened field with tight quarters, it would be smart to select a receiver like Wilson, who has great hands and can run routes with the best of them. In his first two years in the NFL, Wilson has caught 178 passes for 2,145 yards and seven touchdowns. The numbers are even more impressive when you look at the quarterbacks the New York Jets have played in those two seasons. If Wilson has been this good at catching passes from the incredibly mediocre quarterbacks of the Jets, imagine what he’d be able to do if he was catching passes from Stroud in the 2028 Olympics.
Another reason I’d love for Wilson to play for the United States in the 2028 Olympics is because he deserves a big win. I know Wilson won a lot of games at Ohio State, but the Buckeyes came up short in some of the biggest games he played in. In his freshman season, Ohio State lost a heartbreaker to Clemson in a 2019 College Football Playoff semifinal, and even though the Buckeyes got revenge the next season, they would go on to lose to Alabama in the title game. Then in 2021, Wilson made the smart decision to sit out the Rose Bowl since there really was nothing for him to gain by playing against Utah. In his first two seasons in the NFL, the Jets haven’t been in the mix for the playoffs. Things don’t look like they’ll be changing any time soon for New York since Aaron Rodgers is more interested in ayahuasca and conspiracy theories.
Just recently there have been some incredible receivers to come out of Ohio State. Chris Olave, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and Terry McLaurin are all top-tier NFL receivers, but I think Wilson is the best of the group. Obviously, Marvin Harrison Jr. is likely to be part of the conversation in the near future, I’m just waiting until we see him a little on the field in the NFL. Just imagine Harrison on one side of Stroud, or whoever is the quarterback for Team USA, and Wilson on the other. While I’m all for as many Buckeyes as possible on the field in Los Angeles in 2028, I’m rooting most to see Wilson on the team.
Matt’s answer: Jeremiah Smith
If flag football had been added to the Olympics for Summer Games past, there are countless Buckeyes I would have loved to see on Team USA: David Boston, Ted Ginn Jr., Braxton Miller, just to name a few. But looking to 2028 makes things a little more difficult. While Garrett Wilson is a great choice from Brett, by the time the Los Angeles Games come around, he will be into his second contract in the NFL and maybe won’t want to spend part of the offseason running around a field against guys from countries that have never played American football before.
So, I’m opting for a young guy, in fact, I’m going with a guy who hasn’t even played a game as a Buckeye yet, Jeremiah Smith. By the time the 2028 Olympics are here, J.J. will almost certainly be in the summer following his first NFL season. If he was going into his rookie campaign, I would imagine that he would want to focus on starting his pro career on the right foot and would skip the Olympics. But, with what I am assuming is an Offensive Rookie of the Year season under his belt, I think Smith would be a perfect candidate for the inaugural flag football team.
He tops out at 23.39 mph, he has a 36-inch vertical jump, and based on everything we’ve heard and seen, he is an absolute beast on the field. If the United States wants to make a statement with the first — and perhaps only — flag football Olympic competition, having a young stud like Jeremiah Smith on the roster is a great place to start.
