Jeremiah Smith and Ohio State will compete for the National Championship in 2026 after missing last season. The Buckeyes made some phenomenal offseason additions via high school recruiting, who are expected to shine in their debut seasons.
Jeremiah Smith in Agreement With Ohio State Freshman’s Future Stardom
Ohio State alum Mekka Don made a strong prediction on Thursday, saying Buckeyes freshman Legend Bey is destined to become a “household name” in Columbus. His statement quickly gained attention when Smith showed his support.
“Facts 💯,” Smith wrote, retweeting Don’s post about Bey.
Smith likely has a clear view of Bey’s talent after seeing him up close in practice. The freshman has been taking reps as a punt returner and rotating with Smith, Brandon Inniss, and De’Zie Jones in the offense.
Bey spent much of his high school career playing quarterback, but it was always unlikely he would line up under center at the Ohio State Buckeyes football with Julian Sayin firmly positioned as the team’s quarterback.
Instead, the freshman looks to be carving out a hybrid role, practicing with both the wide receiver and running back groups.
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Ryan Day has already been impressed with Bey’s versatility, even drawing comparisons to former Buckeyes playmaker Curtis Samuel.
“I want to see just day one out there running back, you know, he played quarterback in high school, so he has a tremendous skill set and dynamic with the ball in his hands,” Day said last week.
“We see him as somebody that can play running back and also move out to wide receiver, sort of like I wasn’t here with Curtis Samuel, but I watched a lot of film… kind of reminds me of that style of player…I think we’re trying to get a feel for that now because really he played a lot of quarterback in high school, so we’re trying to see what best fits him when he gets moving,” the Buckeyes HC added.
Bey has also drawn comparisons to explosive NFL star Tyreek Hill, and was ranked as the No. 130 recruit in the 2026 class and the No. 17 recruit in Texas, according to the Rivals Industry Rankings.
Bey’s journey to Ohio State was not without drama, as he initially signed with Tennessee before requesting a release from his scholarship agreement and ultimately joining the Buckeyes.
Fans and experts will be eager to see his contribution to the Ohio State offense, which finished the 2025 season ranked No. 3 nationally in PFSN’s Offense Impact Metric (90.9 impact score).
This spring will be about finding the best fit for Bey, given his extensive playing time as quarterback in high school. Whether in the backfield or out wide, there is little doubt the electric freshman will see plenty of touches once the season begins.
