Ohio State football had another dominant recruiting class and was a consensus top-five class in the country. Once again the class features more than a few heavy hitters on the offensive side of the football, including the nation’s top receiver and overall top recruit in Jeremiah Smith.
Name: Jeremiah Smith
High School: Chaminade-Madonnna Prep (Opa Locka, FL)
Height: 6-feet, 3-inches
Weight: 214 pounds
Position: Wide Receiver
Strengths
Jeremiah Smith https://t.co/kHwLyndJZl pic.twitter.com/BtrXB6uIpo
— Kris Drew (@KristopherDrew_) February 22, 2024
The first thing you notice about Jeremiah Smith is his elite size for his age. Very few freshmen come in with such an advanced body and know how to utilize it. Judging by his frame, he has even more room to pack on weight. It is so obvious that Smith is a special talent and has the size and speed combination to destroy defenses over the top.
Weaknesses
Jeremiah Smith with the early touchdown. pic.twitter.com/To1Nh8Xubo
— Tony Gerdeman (@TonyGerdeman) January 6, 2024
One of the more common concerns I have seen online is people concerned with his weight, but as I stated above, I don’t have that same issue. Smith to me already has an NFL-ready body. My biggest concern is that his game is great vertically, but can he be as great as a threat horizontally at the next level?
Comparison: Noah Brown
Ohio State WR Noah Brown is Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week! pic.twitter.com/1qdsP34s4o
— The Buckeye Nut (@TheBuckeyeNut) September 19, 2016
This comparison may seem like an insult, but Noah Brown is an extremely underrated Buckeye. The problem with Brown’s legacy is he struggled with injuries early in his career and declared for the draft with two years of eligibility remaining, but he had All-American potential. Jeremiah Smith is a more refined version of Brown, but they play with similar traits. Both players are deep-threat specialists who can take advantage of jump-ball situations.
Expectations
Ohio State commit Jeremiah Smith has scored the first touchdown in the All-American Game! pic.twitter.com/5J3zLDpt4c
— The Buckeye Nut (@TheBuckeyeNut) January 6, 2024
Expectations are high for Jeremiah Smith and understandably so, but it is important to be patient as this Ohio State receiver room is going to be stacked yet again. Emeka Egbuka is going to be the clear-cut No. 1, while Jayden Ballard is the speed merchant and Carnell Tate showed alpha potential last season. I don’t think it’s unreasonable that Smith is the fourth option, but even Brandon Inniss looked like a potential star in his brief showing last year. Smith is a stud, but he may have to wait behind some other studs before showcasing his ability.
Or, he may be as good as advertised and push his way into the starting lineup as a freshman. We shall see.
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