Jeremiah Smith

In the storied history of Buckeye football, few players have burst onto the scene quite like first-year wide receiver Jerimiah Smith. With a blend of size, strength, speed, agility, talent, and football IQ, and driven by a passion and work ethic far superior to most first-year student athletes, Smith has taken the college football world by storm, setting a blistering pace in his inaugural season.

After only four games, Smith has racked up an astounding 19 catches for 364 receiving yards, five touchdowns, and an average of 19.2 yards per reception, positioning himself to break the long-standing record for most receptions, yards, and touchdowns by a true freshman in a single season owned by Pro Football Hall of Famer Cris Carter during his first season in Columbus 40 years ago. His impressive performance has not only caught the attention of Buckeye fans but has also placed him squarely in the conversation for national accolades, including Freshman of the Year. Carter had 41 receptions for 648 yards and eight touchdowns, Smith is halfway or better with at least nine games, and as many as 12 games left in the Buckeyes season. Should Smith play in all the Buckeyes remaining contests, and assuming they play in the Big Ten title game, Jerimiah would appear in 9 more games before the playoffs. Should he maintain his current rate of production, Smith would end the regular season with 62 catches for 1,183 yards and 16 touchdowns. Should they make the college football playoffs and receive a first-round bye, and if the Buckeyes make it to the championship game, that is an additional three games. At his current level of production Jerimiah Smith would finish the season with 76 receptions for 1,456 yards and 20 touchdowns. Should he accomplish this, Smith would have not just one of the greatest freshman campaigns ever, but one of the best years ever by any receiver.

However, what boggles the mind is given his current production, and operating on the assumption he gets no better (highly unlikely), and he leaves following his junior season when he becomes draft eligible, Jeremiah Smith would leave Ohio State with an unparalleled stat line. The following projections assume Smith plays 14 games per season (12 regular season games, 1 Big Ten championship game, and 1 playoff game). At his current production Smith would end his Buckeye career with 200 catches (second all-time and only 1 catch behind KJ Hill) for 3,822 yards (first all-time surpassing Buckeye great Michael Jenkins by 924 yards) and 53 receiving touchdowns (first all-time exceeding Chris Olave’s 35 career touchdowns by an unbelievable 18 touchdown catches). JJ Smith can rewrite the record books at the wide receiver position. Will he accomplish this phenomenal feat? It would seem unlikely, however, given what Smith brings to the table, and barring injury, it is hard to deny that it is at least conceivably possible.

As the Buckeyes prepare for a critical stretch of the season, including matchups against Iowa, Oregon, a much-improved Nebraska team, Penn State, an upstart Indiana squad, and an impending battle versus That Team Up North, all eyes will be on Smith. His contributions will be pivotal as Ohio State looks to secure a spot in the Big Ten title game and the College Football Playoff. If his current pace continues, not only will he shatter true freshman records which have stood for four decades, but he could also lead the Buckeyes back to the national championship.

As Ohio State fans watch in awe their electrifying first-year wide receiver, one thing is clear: Jerimiah Smith is not just another player to watch; he is a legitimate phenomenon who is destined to leave his mark on the program and the sport of college football. With every game, he moves one step closer to greatness, and he shines a light on the future of Buckeye football, and it has never looked brighter.