Ohio State's Big Ten Rival Doesn't Hold Back on Jeremiah Smith

Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith somehow exceeded expectations during his freshman season, which is incredible given how much hype surrounded him heading into his debut campaign.

Smith hauled in 76 receptions for 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2024, averaging a robust 17.3 yards per catch en route to helping lead Ohio State to a national championship.

On the road to the Buckeyes winning a title, Smith and Co. had to face the Oregon Ducks twice. Oregon got the better of Ohio State during the regular season, but the Buckeyes absolutely hammered the Ducks in the Rose Bowl, where Smith snared seven balls for 187 yards and a couple of scores.

Oregon cornerback Brandon Johnson was asked about Smith during a recent appearance on the Sitdown Podcast, and he didn't hold back when discussing the 19-year-old phenom.

“He’s a generational talent, for sure,” Johnson said. “You don’t see many football players like Jeremiah Smith. You may see someone who has two out of three. You may see someone who is (athletic), a crisp route runner, has great hands—Jeremiah Smith has good hands—but, you know, he’s definitely a good football player, good young player. I’m looking forward to seeing what he does in the future. … He has all the things you can’t teach.”

Smith was viewed by many as the greatest wide receiver prospect to ever come through Columbus going into 2024, and some even labeled him the best receiver prospect in history, period.

The 6-foot-4 pass-catcher has already established himself as one of the most electrifying weapons in college football, so it will be exciting to see what he does for an encore in 2025.

Smith won't be seeing Johnson next season, though, as the Oregon star will be taking his talents to the NFL next month.

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