Why Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith Thinks LSU Is Currently ‘Wide Receiver U’

The Buckeyes pass catcher gave his honest thoughts on the dueling wide receiver pipelines.

Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate are college football's top wide receiver duo. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith is next up in a long line of elite pass catchers to come through the nation's top-ranked program. The 19-year-old has been dominant to begin his second season in Columbus, hauling in 49 passes (a Big Ten high) for 602 yards and seven touchdowns—all of which lead the Buckeyes.

Under the guidance of offensive coordinator and WRs coach Brian Hartline, Ohio State has churned out five first-round wide receivers over the last three NFL drafts: Garrett Wilson (Jets) and Chris Olave (Saints) in 2022, Jaxon Smith-Njigba (Seahawks) in ’23, Marvin Harrison Jr. (Cardinals) in '24 and Emeka Egbuka (Buccaneers) in '25. The impressive pipeline—which is bound to include Smith in short order—has led many to dub the program “Wide Receiver University”, or WRU, for short.

Rivaling them in this department, however, is LSU. Like the Buckeyes, the Tigers, too, have done their part in developing elite wide receivers. First-round picks out of Baton Rouge over the course of the last decade-plus include Odell Beckham Jr. (Giants) in 2014, Justin Jefferson (Vikings) in ‘20, Ja’Marr Chase (Bengals) in ‘21 and both Malik Nabers (Giants) and Brian Thomas Jr. (Jaguars) in ‘24.

Knowing the debate between the two schools all too well, Smith recently spoke with Sports Illustrated, promoting AT&T's "Clutch Calls,” and gave a surprising answer on who he believes is the true WRU:

“It’s pretty tough, but I’m gonna have to say LSU right now," he admitted, candidly. "They got the two top guys. They got Ja’Marr Chase, they got Justin Jefferson. Them guys are at the top of the top right now. But give us a couple of years and we’ll be at the top for sure.”

It’s an honest—and frankly, perhaps too honest—answer from Smith, who did add the caveat that the Buckeyes are coming. Egbuka has turned in an impressive rookie campaign with Tampa Bay to begin the '25 NFL season, and Smith’s current running mate, Carnell Tate, is a projected first-round pick in next year’s draft.

Ohio State, 7–0 to begin the college football season, is likely more interested in winning its second national championship in a row than WRU debates. They’ll take on the Penn State Nittany Lions this coming Saturday in Columbus, with kick off set for 12:00 p.m. ET.

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