Ohio State Football: Can Parris Campbell Boost the Buckeyes' Battered WR Corps?

Parris Campbell flashed his potential on the fourth offensive snap of the Ohio State Buckeyes' season-opening tilt with the Virginia Tech Hokies.

It was early in the first quarter, when Campbell broke free on a post route. Lined up in one-on-one coverage against outstanding Hokies cornerback Brandon Facyson, Campbell worked over the middle of the field, and Cardale Jones fired a dart his way.

It would have been a 39-yard touchdown, had Campbell hauled it in, but the pass bounced off his hands to the Lane Stadium turf. It was an understandable slip from a redshirt freshman who was seeing the first action of his collegiate career.

Nine games into the season, Campbell is still looking to register his first career catch for the Buckeyes.

The blazing wideout has missed most of the season while battling a sprained MCL and a bruised knee. But head coach Urban Meyer said Campbell, who has missed the team's last three games, is probable to return Saturday as the Buckeyes hit the road for a noon ET showdown with Illinois, per Bill Rabinowitz of the Columbus Dispatch:

Will Campbell be able to find a place and contribute in Ohio State's offense down the stretch?

That would be huge for the third-ranked Buckeyes, who have had some devastating injuries at wide receiver.

It started in fall camp, when Ohio State lost Noah Brown, who suffered a broken leg that spoiled any chance of a breakout 2015 campaign. Corey Smith suffered a similar injury against Indiana, and playmakers such as Dontre Wilson and Johnnie Dixon have missed most or all of the season with various injuries.

Steve Helber/Associated Press

Ohio State wide receivers coach Zach Smith talked about how those injuries have impacted the team this year.

"It's been devastating," Smith said Monday, according to Doug Lesmerises of the Plain Dealer. "But at the same time, we're in a position that we lost five of our top nine wideouts, and at most schools, probably every school in the country, that would be disabling. For us, we have such depth and so much confidence in the guys that are healthy right now that we haven't missed a beat."

Michael Thomas, Jalin Marshall, Braxton Miller and Curtis Samuel are the top pass-catchers for the Buckeyes, forming one of the most dangerous units in the country. But the depth behind them isn't there, and that's something Campbell could provide.

The Buckeyes were excited about Campbell before the season kicked off. Meyer, in particular, heaped heavy praise on the freshman.

"He's big and strong and tough," Meyer said in September, according to Lesmerises. "And he's showing that. I love him. I think he's going to have a really fine career here."

Perhaps the launching point of that career will be Saturday against Illinois.

David Regimbal is the Ohio State football Lead Writer for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter @davidreg412.