Jeremiah Smith: The Rise of a True Freshman Football Phenom

Jeremiah Smith, born on November 29, 2005, is an American college football wide receiver for the Ohio State Buckeyes. Last year, Ohio State freshman phenom Jeremiah Smith seemingly forgot that he was 19 years old. Smith's journey to football stardom is a testament to his dedication and talent, transforming an early setback into a defining moment in his career.

Early Life and Overcoming Adversity

At seven years old, Smith tried out for the Miami Gardens Ravens youth football team but did not make the cut, an event hailed as a defining moment for Smith and his father, Chris, regarding his football career. The event caused Smith to begin taking training more seriously.

Recruiting and Rankings

During the recruiting process, Smith became only the second wide receiver to ever claim the title of the top overall recruit in the country, according to 247Sports’ Composite rankings. Smith’s freshman season outproduced the career totals of the other receiver to receive the top-recruit honor, Dorial Green-Beckham. Looking at Ohio State’s loaded receiver group, it is even more impressive that Smith made his way up the depth chart to share the top role with future Tampa Bay Buccaneers first-round pick Emeka Egbuka.

Ohio State’s lineup consisted of Egbuka, mentioned above, former five-star Carnell Tate, who will make his case for a first-round selection this season, and a plethora of other four and five-star recruits. It speaks to the trust the coaching staff had in Smith to elevate him to an integral role on a team that believed they could push for a national title.

Record-Breaking Freshman Season

As a freshman in 2024, Smith broke the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) freshman receiving record, and won a national championship with the Buckeyes. Last season, Smith posted an eye-popping 1,315 yards and earned 2nd-team All-American honors. Green-Beckham never truly realized his full potential, totaling only 1,278 yards during the entirety of his rocky stint at Missouri.

Well, it's a subjective question and it's tough to crack a list with Hershell Walker, Hugh Green, Tony Dorsett, Adrian Peterson and other all-time greats. But the full body of work for Smith, who was an All-American at Chaminade-Madonna, certainly earns him a place in the conversation. Smith caught 76 passes for 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns and also rushed for 47 yards and a score this season. In four playoff games, Smith caught 19 passes for 381 yards and five touchdowns. He caught five passes for 88 yards and a touchdown in the College Football Playoff National Championship win against Notre Dame on Monday night. Smith also was the MVP of the Rose Bowl when he dominated Oregon with his seven-catch, 187-yard performance in the playoff quarterfinals. It's certainly one of the greatest freshmen campaigns in college football history.

First Collegiate Action

My study of Jeremiah Smith began with his first-ever collegiate action against Akron. On his first target, it was easy to tell that the nerves and anticipation had gotten to him. Playcaller Chip Kelly schemed up a standard tunnel screen for him and quarterback Will Howard put it right into his hands, but Smith simply dropped the ball, clearly thinking one too many steps ahead about the play he could make. Unfortunately for Ohio State opponents, it would be one of the few mistakes Smith made throughout the season. Smith more than made up for it during the rest of the day, totaling nearly 100 yards and catching the first two touchdowns of his career.

Exceptional Body Control and Route Running

I could continue to rave over the numbers that Smith posted during his inaugural collegiate season, but what is more impressive to my film-rotted brain is precisely how he was able to dominate the sport at such a young age. The tape shows a player who has developed far beyond his years and is passionate about the little things that will carry him far in his career. Former Arizona Wildcat and now Carolina Panther Tetairoa McMillan was one of the rare, recent freshman wide receivers who made a sizable impact for his team. Arguably, McMillan’s best traits were his body control and ability to contort himself to make tough catches with limited space, a trait shared with Smith.

For Ohio State quarterback Will Howard, having a receiver in the game who he trusted to bail out errant throws was an enormous asset this past season. Smith’s universal trust from teammates and coaches, in spite of his age, stems in part from this prodigious body control. Unless you were closely following Smith in high school, your first exposure to his game likely came on the viral video of an incredible catch Smith made in spring practice. This play is a perfect example of Smith’s rare natural abilities. Here, Smith has his back to the sideline, with a defender right in his chest, and still manages to maintain proper positioning as he is falling out of bounds and making the catch. There are traits, through development and coaching, that players can improve significantly over the course of their college and professional careers. Body control is not typically one of them. It appears primarily as an innate awareness of the sideline, spacing and defender behaviors. Smith can elevate his floor from play to play as his quarterback has comfort that he can rely on Smith to maintain discipline in his positioning and be “open” even when defenders are in his face. It’s mind-boggling that with no college experience, Smith became a security blanket and go-to target for Will Howard, who had no shortage of reps during his career.

Route running can make or break a player’s profile. Elite athleticism can only take a player so far without the technical prowess that comes with many areas of the wide receiver position. NFL history is littered with receivers with outstanding athletic profiles and limited production - Hakeem Butler, Dareke Young, Jacob Harris, Denzel Mims and Miles Boykin are ones that spring from my degenerate brain. Jeremiah Smith is an excellent case study on how route-running savvy put him on the field early in his career.

Read also: Football Prodigy: Jeremiah Smith

Accolades and Recognition

On January 1, 2025, Smith had 7 catches for 187 yards and 2 receiving touchdowns in an MVP performance against the Oregon Ducks in the 2025 Rose Bowl. He was also named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year, Big Ten Receiver of the Year and selected as a first-team All-American by NCAA unofficial selectors, the USA Today and ESPN in 2024.

Historical Context: Great True Freshman Seasons

Here's a look at some of the best true freshman seasons by players from Florida high schools.

DL Rueben Bain Jr. (Miami, 2023): The Miami Central star was named ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year and earned both Freshman All-American and All-ACC honors. He recorded 44 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks. Bain led Miami linemen in tackles for loss and sacks.
LB Scot Brantley (Florida, 1976): Brantley was a multi-sport standout at Ocala Forest, where was a two-time Parade All-American and was drafted by the New York Mets as an outfielder. He led the Gators with 145 tackles, intercepted two passes and was named SEC Freshman of the Year. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers picked Brantley in the third round of the 1980 NFL Draft.
WR Ronney Daniels (Auburn, 1999): Daniels was a multi-sport star at Lake Wales. He was drafted by the Montreal Expos in the sixth round of the 1995 draft and spent three seasons as a minor-league pitcher. In his first season at Auburn, Daniels caught 56 passes for a school-record 1,068 yards and nine touchdowns. He was named SEC Freshman of the Year and was a second-team All-SEC selection in 1999. Daniels played in the Arena Football League.
OT Reggie Green (Florida 1992): A Bradenton Southeast graduate, Green was a rare freshman starter for the Gators in 1992. Green was the first true freshman to start at Florida since College Hall of Famer Lomas Brown in 1981. Dick Vermeil, working as an analyst for ABC in 1992, called Green the best freshman tackle he'd ever seen. Green was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the sixth round of the 1996 draft.
CB Vernon Hargreaves III (Florida, 2013): The Wharton graduate earned first-team All-SEC and third-team All-American honors in his first year with the Gators. Hargreaves started 10 games, made 38 tackles, intercepted three passes and set a school freshman record with 11 passes broken up. He was selected 11th overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2016 NFL Draft.
K Sebastian Janikowski (Florida State, 1997): A soccer star from Poland before finishing his high school career at Seabreeze, Janikowski connected on 17 of 21 field goal attempts and 37 of 39 extra point attempts for 85 points and earned second-team All-ACC honors. Janikowski was selected by the Oakland Raiders with the 17th pick of the 2000 NFL Draft. He is one of only five kickers ever to be selected in the first round of the draft.
LB Marvin Jones (Florida State 1990): Jones, a Miami Northwestern graduate, opted for Florida State over the hometown Hurricanes. Jones earned third-team All-American honors in his first year in Tallahassee when he recorded 133 tackles and an interception. Jones, a College Football Hall of Fame selection, was picked fourth overall by the New York Jets in the 1993 NFL Draft.
RB Emmitt Smith (Florida, 1987): Smith arrived in Gainesville with high expectations after being named National Player of the Year by USA Today, Parade Magazine and Gatorade as a senior at Escambia. Smith rushed for 1,341 yards and 13 touchdowns, was named SEC Freshman of the Year, earned first-team All-SEC honors and finished ninth in the Heisman voting. The Dallas Cowboys selected Smith as the 17th overall pick in the 1990 NFL Draft. Smith owns the NFL career records for rushing yards and rushing touchdowns.
WR Sammy Watkins (Clemson, 2011): Watkins, a South Fort Myers grad, became just the fourth true freshman to earn First-Team All-American honors from the Associated Press. He caught 82 passes for 1,219 yards and 12 touchdowns. Watkins led the nation in receiving yards per game, all-purpose yards and touchdowns and broke 11 Clemson freshman records. The Buffalo Bills selected Watkins fourth overall in the 2014 NFL Draft.
WR Mike Williams (USC 2002): The former Tampa Plant star set USC and Pac-10 freshman records with 81 catches for 1,265 yards and 14 touchdowns. He was the Pac-10 Freshman of the Year, first-team Freshman All-American, second-team All-Pac-10 selection, and earned honorable mention on the All-American team.

Personal Life and Family

Jeremiah Smith is the cousin of Geno Smith, quarterback of the Las Vegas Raiders in the National Football League (NFL). Chip Kelly, who recruited Geno from Miramar High School in Miramar, Florida, coached Jeremiah at Ohio State University before joining Las Vegas as offensive coordinator and coaching Geno Smith.

NIL Deals and Future Prospects

Ohio State Buckeyes' Jeremiah Smith Signs Historic NIL Deal. Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith Signs NIL Deal With Adidas After Standout Season. EA Sports names WRs Ryan Williams, Jeremiah Smith as College Football 26 cover athletes.

Read also: The Rise of Jeremiah Smith

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