Maryland Wide Receiver Octavian Smith Jr. Is Ready To Turn Heads In 2025 Season
Entering his senior season for the Maryland Terrapins, wide receiver Octavian Smith Jr. knows there's no time like the present to set his mark in the receiver room. Top wideouts Tai Felton and Kaden Prather both entered the 2025 NFL Draft following last season, leaving the wideout room for Maryland wide open for the taking.
Smith Jr. is coming off his junior campaign, where he posted a career-high 30 receptions, 315 receiving yards, 28.6 receiving yards per game, and two touchdown receptions. He's spoken about his NFL aspirations in the past and what that would mean to him achieving that dream. This upcoming season presents an opportunity that he has not had before. Since entering the program in 2021, he's been used as a plug-in tool piece on the offensive end that can use his speed for misdirection design plays. Now, he can further display his big-play ability to not only stretch the field with his speed, but also come down with tough contested catches, and extra effort to fight for yards after catch.
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Over the years, Smith Jr. has had the opportunity to learn from previous Terps' receivers such as Jeshaun Johnson, Rakim Jarrett, Corey Dyches, Felton, and Prather, preparing him to take on a leadership role for a receiver room that is less experienced. All are previous receivers who had to develop over time and eventually make their mark on the field. Smith Jr. has proven to be capable of performing, making a tough touchdown grab in the clip above against NC State in the Duke's Mayo Bowl in 2022, recording three grabs for 57 yards, including a 31-yard touchdown reception against Michigan State as a sophomore, and finally setting a single game career-high last year in receptions (8), yards (84), and while hauling in a contested endzone grab over a defender in a come-from behind victory against USC.
Whoever takes the starting gig at quarterback for the Terrapins will already have a reliable target to throw to and count on to come down with the football.
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Jaden's sports journalism career began at the College of Southern Maryland from 2022-2023, where he was brought in to cover baseball, softball, basketball, soccer, and volleyball at CSM. In late 2023, he began interning at the University of Maryland Athletics Department as a contributing writer to help develop feature stories and game recaps. He also creates his own sports media content on professional Washington teams with LegacyMaker Sports Network.