COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Sorting out the Ohio State receivers this spring won't be easy. Remember, one of the main guys to watch, Noah Brown, isn't practicing and is only working on the sidelines as he continues his recovery from the broken leg he suffered during preseason practice last year.

As spring practice began Tuesday with the first of 15 sessions that will culminate with the spring game on April 16, here's what reporters saw on the offensive side of the ball during the first hour of practice when we were allowed to watch.

* The Buckeyes ran a drill where the receivers broke up into three position groups and ran routes. There were two outside receiver groups and one slot group that included tight ends.

Here's the order the players in the slot, both H-backs and tight ends, went in the drill: senior Dontre Wilson, redshirt freshman Alex Stump, sophomore Parris Campbell, redshirt freshman K.J. Hill, walk-on Austin Clutter, junior tight end Marcus Baugh and redshirt freshman tight end A.J. Alexander.

In one outside group, the order was redshirt freshman Torrance Gibson, true freshman Alex Mack, sophomore Johnnie Dixon and Campbell.

In the other outside group, the order was junior James Clark, sophomore Terry McLaurin and walk-on Joe Ramstetter.

* What does all that mean? Brown will start in the fall if healthy, he's just still coming back.

Figure Wilson is the leader in the slot, but it depends on where Curtis Samuel lands, at H-back or at running back. He's coming back from injury and was working on the sideline Tuesday, but he'll almost certainly start at one of those positions in the fall.

The other outside starting receiver position is wide open, though. The idea that Campbell is working at both the slot and outside indicates the Buckeyes want him on the field one way or another, and the versatility will help him. Dixon, who has battled nagging knee injuries, is also interesting if he can stay healthy. Of course, there's Gibson, the five-star recruit who arrived as a quarterback but looks like he's locked in at receiver now.

* Hill is working out with a cast or wrap on his left wrist. He was wearing an orange no-contact jersey but he was going through drills. After he ran his route, the quarterback just didn't throw him the ball. He won't be participating fully this spring.

* The tight ends working Tuesday were Baugh and Alexander. Rashod Berry, who was at tight end last season while redshirting, has moved to defensive end. The Buckeyes also have two freshmen tight ends in the fall in Jake Hausmann and Luke Farrell.

* With Ezekiel Elliott, the hole at running back is huge. As we said, Samuel is limited and working on the side.

So the running backs in drills Tuesday were redshirt freshman Mike Weber, true freshman Antonio Williams, senior Bri'onte Dunn, walk-on Patrick Wise and walk-on Alex Backenstoe.

There's not much point in trying to differentiate between Weber, Williams and Dunn at the moment.

* Remember all those quarterbacks Ohio State used to have? In drills, there are three quarterbacks working this spring -- J.T. Barrett, redshirt freshman Joe Burrow and sophomore Stephen Collier.

* I'll be honest, I didn't get much of a look at the offensive line, where we know the Buckeyes are looking for three new starters. They were on the far side of the practice field from reporters and I was focused on the skill guys. We're talking to Urban Meyer at 11 a.m. after practice and we'll get his thoughts on the offensive line depth chart then. Sorry.

* Well, our Meyer news conference has come and gone and there wasn't an offensive line question. We'll hit that group hard later and will ask about them Thursday.

Other coverage from Tuesday