Kirk Ferentz Compares Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith to NFL Hall of Famer

Kirk Ferentz didn't hold back his comparison for Jeremiah Smith this week. He went with one of the NFL's greatest wide receivers ever.

Dec 31, 2025; Arlington, TX, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) celebrates after he runs for a touchdown during the 2025 Cotton Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Jeremiah Smith is on another level when it comes to his talent and hype. The Iowa Hawkeyes have the duty of trying to slow him down this weekend when the Ohio State Buckeyes come to Kinnick Stadium.

For Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz, this isn't new territory, though. Having been at Iowa since 1999, he has seen his fair share of talents come through the ranks. Two stars came to mind when he spoke about Jeremiah Smith.

Jeremiah Smith is similar to a current NFL star

Being in the Big Ten, the Hawkeyes play some of the best talent each season. A recent one, who is a star in the NFL, is Saquon Barkley.

Barkley played against Iowa in 2017 and lit up the Hawkeyes. He ran for 211 yards and had 94 receiving yards in a game that Penn State stole from the Hawkeyes late.

"But you talk about Smith; there are several guys over the last 20-plus years. The first guy that comes to mind would be Saquon Barkley; just different guys. They're at a little different level.

"The performance Barkley had against us out there is about as impressive as you're going to see," Ferentz said in his first comparison for Jeremiah Smith.

Kirk Ferentz compares Jeremiah Smith to Randy Moss

Ferentz also spent some time in the NFL, and that has lent him the opportunity to see some of the greatest players to ever play in the NFL.

He wasn't shy about which NFL Hall of Famer Jeremiah Smith reminds him of. Ferentz lauded Jeremiah Smith with a comparison to former NFL great Randy Moss.

"I remember being up in New England's camp in the late 2000s and seeing Randy Moss do the same thing on a red zone play. I was sitting next to the secondary coach, and he looked at me and just went like that (shrugging). That's what great players do.

"If you can find a way to maybe make them a little bit off their rhythm, that's a good thing, but it's easier said than done. Then usually if you do one thing, you're compensating somewhere else or just giving something else somewhere else. It's a tricky one," added Ferentz, comparing Smith to the NFL great, Randy Moss.

Iowa has to find a way to get Smith off his rhythm this Saturday, or things could go sideways quickly with his explosiveness, especially coming off a game against Illinois, where he reeled in 12 receptions for 217 yards and four touchdowns.