Jeremiah Smith offered huge NIL deals to leave Ohio State: report

Keeping wide receiver Jeremiah Smith on the team will be Ohio State’s most important task this offseason, and it appears the school is already facing some heavy competition in that regard.
Smith has received NIL offers worth $4.5 million to $5 million to enter the transfer portal and leave Ohio State to unnamed schools, according to a report from On3 Sports.
Not only that, but other industry sources are of the opinion that Smith will be hearing offers for even more money to lure him away from the Buckeyes over the course of the offseason.
On3 reports that Smith is slated to make at least $3 million to play in 2025, but that is a baseline amount that is expected to rise.
It’s not surprising that Smith is getting so much attention from other schools and their NIL efforts considering how integral he was to Ohio State’s national championship run.
Smith totaled 76 catches for 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns this past season, already emerging as a favorite to win the Heisman Trophy next season as a true sophomore.
While the original report didn’t name the schools that are interested in Smith, USA Today’s Matt Hayes speculated that Miami would be a team to watch in any effort to sign him.
The wide receiver is a native of South Florida, and the Hurricanes already made a splash in the offseason by convincing former Georgia quarterback Carson Beck to sign with the program.
The deal for Beck included a reported $4 million NIL price tag, and it wouldn’t be out of the ordinary for the ‘Canes to make a similar offer for college football’s most-coveted wide receiver.
Don’t expect the Buckeyes to just sit back and watch other schools try to poach their top target.
On3 reports that Ohio State “is ready to do whatever it needs” to keep Smith on the roster, especially with the other momentous departures the offense is expected to deal with this offseason.
Running back Quinshon Judkins is declaring for the NFL Draft, and quarterback Will Howard is also on the way out, so the pressure is on for the Buckeyes to convince Smith the offense will be able to keep pace with its 2024 output to warrant his staying on.
And, of course, to find enough money in their NIL piggy bank to ward off any other offers their star wide receiver will be approached with before next fall.
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