Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State’s superstar sophomore wide receiver, is generating a level of buzz that college football hasn’t seen in years. With one season under his belt, the 19-year-old has already made a compelling case.
Expected to enter the 2026 NFL Draft, Smith’s stock continues to rise. How high can it get?
How Has Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith Improved This Offseason?
In a recent podcast, Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt drew a rare comparison to NFL great Adrian Peterson as a true freshman.
“Those are the only two guys that I’ve ever seen… that I’m like, yeah, they could have played and not only played, but succeeded in the NFL right away out of high school,” Klatt said.
Klatt continued, giving insight from coaches and insiders who have been awed by Smith’s transformation.
“Very rarely do we see a player that comes in with all the hype of Smith… and then he doesn’t just live up to that, but he exceeds those expectations,” Klatt said. “He was the best player on the field at all times last year. It didn’t matter who they were playing.”
The respect Smith commands from opposing coaches is striking. According to Klatt, their response was telling when he asked coaches about their defensive plans for Smith.
“There’s not really a plan. You can’t really have a plan.”
That level of dominance, Klatt noted, is something he’s only witnessed once before, when facing Adrian Peterson as a freshman.
Smith’s freshman campaign was nothing short of historic. He finished with 76 receptions, 1,315 yards, and 15 touchdowns.
“That’s stupid good,” Klatt emphasized. “He was the best player on the field at all times last year. It didn’t matter who they were playing.”
What sets Smith apart is more than just the numbers. According to reports from Columbus, he has bulked up to around 222 to 225 pounds in the offseason and is running faster than before.
“He’s basically built physically in a lab,” Klatt said. “He’s got unbelievable hands. He catches everything.”
Jeremiah Smith Earns Comparisons to NFL Legends
Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti offered his own evaluation during Big Ten media day, saying, “Julio [Jones] was also a great player. Very similar. [Smith] is a little looser, more flexible, I think. Maybe a hair faster.”
Considering Julio Jones’s NFL resume, that’s not a comparison to be taken lightly. Klatt even tried to find an NFL comp.
“Is it Megatron? Jeremiah’s more athletic than Megatron. Is it Julio Jones? Jeremiah’s more fluid than Julio. Is it Randy? Well, you can’t do that because Moss and Rice are at the top.”
He went further, saying, “For the first time in my career, there is a player that I believe could join that echelon at some point, and that’s this player.”
Smith’s rise is more than hype. It’s trust earned, and production delivered. As Klatt concluded, “He’s smart. He knows what he’s doing. He knows how to run routes. He works hard… He’s the best college football player I’ve seen since I started covering this sport.”
