The Ohio State Buckeyes are widely considered the best program for wide receivers to take their ability to the next level and prepare them for the NFL. Currently, Buckeye sophomore wideout Jeremiah Smith is arguably the best in all of college football, and as long as he remains healthy is a lock to be a top-five draft pick next season.
Recently, he played a major role in shaping the future of Ohio State football.
Jeremiah Smith Went Outside The Norm to Help Bring In Chris Henry Jr.
Smith is the latest example of what Hartline helped create in Columbus. With back-to-back 1,200-plus yard seasons and 12-plus touchdowns, Smith has become one of the team’s leaders. He utilized his newfound leadership and elevated it to the next level in helping recruit top-recruit Chris Henry Jr. and help keep him committed with the Buckeyes.
Helping recruit Henry Jr. was out of the norm for Smith and something he says he has “never done before.” He also added, “it’s going to be pretty special with him on the other side.”
There was no room for panic once former Ohio State offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach Brian Hartline left the program to accept the head coaching job at the University of South Florida. As a former NFL wideout, he became a dependable and respectable voice in the locker room for the Buckeyes’ wideouts.
With Cortez Hankton stepping in to fill the void left by the receivers coach in Columbus, it also marks a new era.
MORE: Ryan Day ‘Chasing’ $40M Roster As Ohio State Faces Major Overhaul
Luckily for both Ohio State and Hankton, he will still be working with arguably the best wideouts in the nation from top to bottom. Even with both Mylan Graham and Quincy Porter both hitting the transfer portal and heading to Notre Dame, the Buckeyes still have the best receiver in college in Smith.
They also added top wide receiver Henry Jr., 4-star recruit Jerquaden Guilford, and four-star Jaeden Ricketts with their top ten-ranked recruiting class. For context, Guilford just won Player of the Week for Team West in the Navy All-American Game last week.
With Heisman finalist quarterback Julian Sayin returning, this offense will be scary next season. Carnell Tate announced he will enter the NFL Draft, but new playmakers will be making their way to Columbus next season. Smith’s leap to help lure Henry Jr. in showcases his leadership qualities, especially since it was something he had never done before. It could also be what saved the Buckeyes from losing too much talent for next season.
