former Ohio State walk-on receiver who earned his stripes on special teams
Derek Harden’s Ohio State story is one of grit over flash: a Logan, Ohio product who walked on, worked his way into the program, and was valued more for toughness and special-teams contribution than box-score production. In the 2005 season, he recorded 1 reception for 6 yards, and in the 2006 season he added depth at wide receiver while contributing on kickoff coverage. He fits the profile of a high-effort, low-drama depth piece—useful if a team wants reliability, physicality, and a team-first mentality.
