Jim Naveau, The Lima News

COLUMBUS — DeVier Posey has the quick feet. He established that when he won the Division I 400-meter dash state title in 2008.

Good hands? He showed that in Ohio State’s first four games this season and with the 11 catches he had last year as a freshman.

But in OSU’s last six games, he has confirmed that he is what the Buckeyes’ coaches thought he was when they recruited him — a No. 1 receiver.

Posey, a 6-foot-3, 205-pound sophomore from Cincinnati LaSalle High School, has caught touchdown passes in five of the Buckeyes’ last six games. In the one he didn’t have a TD catch, he threw a 39-yard touchdown pass to Dane Sanzenbacher.

Posey has 45 catches for 672 yards and 7 touchdowns this season. He has a catch of 20 yards or more in each of the last six games and three for more than 50 yards.

Maybe none of those receptions had a bigger impact than his 62-yard touchdown catch against Penn State, which stretched Ohio State’s lead to 17-7 from 10-7. The Buckeyes went on to win 24-7 last Saturday.

“I don’t know if it was the ballgame, but it sure helped out,” offensive lineman Justin Boren said about Posey’s catch.

Posey said Ohio State receivers coach Darrell Hazell talked to him about becoming a No. 1 receiver early in his career.

“He said that there could be a possibility in the future I could be the No. 1 guy here. I feel like I’m getting more comfortable, I’m coming into that role. And the guys around me are getting more comfortable.

“I really didn’t have any expectations. I really just wanted to find myself. I feel like I’m coming into my own, finding the things I’m best at and finding the things I’m weak at and need to work on.,” he said.

Posey and quarterback Terrelle Pryor have connected on and off the field. When Pryor was criticized heavily after the loss to Purdue three weeks ago, Posey was an outspoken defender of his quarterback.

While he will never draw the off-the-field attention Pryor does, Posey’s production in recent games might mean he will draw special coverage from Iowa’s defense on Saturday. The Hawkeyes rank third in the Big Ten behind Penn State and Ohio State in scoring defense and pass defense.

“I really don’t know what is going to happen against Iowa. Whatever happens, I feel like I’ll be ready. If it’s double coverage, I’ll have to be ready for that. If it’s normal single coverage, I have to beat that,” he said.

Posey said he has become a more consistent receiver in the last half-dozen games. Asked to define consistent, he said, “You watch NFL guys, play after play they’re going at the same speed, they’re running the routes, if they have to block, they’re blocking. That’s what being consistent is, never taking a play off.”

Next up

• Who: No. 10 OSU vs. No. 15 Iowa
• When: Saturday, 3:30 p.m.
• Where: Ohio Stadium
• TV/radio: Channel 5; WEOL 930-AM, WKNR 850-AM

Contact Jim Naveau at (419) 993-2087 or jnaveau@limanews.com.

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