The Ohio State Buckeyes have a long-standing tradition of securing elite talent at the wide receiver position, and it looks like they’ve struck gold again with Jeremiah Smith, the top prospect of the 2024 recruiting class.
As a matter of fact, it looks like Smith could end up being the best of them all, and that’s really saying something.
Early performances from the freshman are exceeding high expectations, and his potential seems limitless.
In just two games, Smith has tallied 11 receptions for 211 yards and three touchdowns, showcasing his big-play ability with an impressive average of over 19 yards per catch.
If he keeps up this pace, the young receiver is on track to blow past the 1,000 yards and hit double-digit touchdowns by the end of the season.
(In reality, it would be disappointing if he didn’t.)
Notably, Ohio State head coach Ryan Day made sure to point out that Smith’s supreme work-ethic and attitude allow him to not have to worry about any high praise going to his star’s head.
(As we know, the same can’t be said for everyone.)
“He’s disciplined,” Day said. “This is not somebody who I think needs to be told, ‘Hey, reel it in.’ He stays very focused. If we recognize anything other, then we’ll address it.”
Day continued to praise the receiver’s work ethic and determination.
“He wants to be great. He knows what he wants to get done. I think he would tell you, ‘This is just the start.’ He’s always envisioned himself in this role and making an impact right away,” Day said. “We talked about that during the recruiting process.”
Smith’s pre-college hype was immense, with 247Sports ranking him as the No. 1 overall prospect in the class of 2024.
His athleticism on the football field, paired with his impressive talent as a track star, led to major hype as top programs from across to the country attempted to land his commitment.
Of course, we don’t want to get too far ahead of ourselves. As we know, anything can happen. But it looks like Smith has one hell of a career ahead of himself.
His famous cousin, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith, recently predicted that Jeremiah will become “the best receiver” in the history of football. (Perhaps he didn’t do his cousin too many favors with that line.)
“I’ve seen a lot of great receivers, and I’ve had the chance to watch JJ since he was about 10 years old,” Geno Smith shared. “He’s going to be the best receiver ever. I really believe that.”
Geno was watching when Jeremiah made his college debut for Ohio State, where he hauled in six passes for 92 yards and two touchdowns.
Reflecting on that game, Geno said, “Man, I was in the house, I was watching the whole game. And he caught that first touchdown, man, I jumped right out of my seat. The whole house was going crazy… I thought he had a heck of a game.”
Jeremiah Smith’s first outing wasn’t without its bumps, including an early drop. But Geno admired the way the young receiver quickly bounced back.
“I thought he started out a little slow. I know he wants to catch that first one. He would’ve scored on that one, too,” he said, encouragingly adding, “Let’s go JJ. But great debut. He was born with the talent, but he’s putting the work in. He’s ready. He’s ready right now.”
Buckeye fans hope Day was right when he said no one has to worry about praise and success going to Smith’s head. After all, he’s going to be hearing a whole lot of it as the season rolls on.
What are your thoughts on Smith? … Do you think Geno should have kept the “best receiver ever” comment to himself, or do you like the public show of confidence?
Of course, it’s way too early to look ahead, but do YOU think Smith will end up being the greatest wide receiver to come out of Ohio State???