Ohio State broad receiver Jeremiah Smith is without doubt one of the most ballyhooed freshmen in latest faculty soccer historical past. Lower than a 12 months into his Buckeyes profession, Smith is already in line to begin for a group with nationwide championship upside. 

It is also the identical Ohio State group that has produced 4 first-round broad receivers since 2022. To say that Smith is getting into his faculty profession with big expectations could be an understatement. 

Smith is already dealing with the stress like a veteran. 

“I do know it is a massive expectation for me as a result of I am the No. 1 participant within the nation coming in and all of the hype round me,” Smith mentioned. “So, I imply, I simply attempt to block out all that stuff and simply concentrate on the principle factor, simply the group and our receiver room and the locker room. And simply the primary sport comes, and if I do not exceed the expectations that y’all have for me, I imply, I do not actually care. I simply wish to go on the market and win the sport.”

It is arduous to not hype up Smith. He signed with the Buckeyes as the highest general prospect within the 2024 class. He’s the highest-ranked broad receiver in 247Sports historical past and is one among simply 12 gamers to ever obtain a grade of at the least 101 (the size sometimes goes to 100). 

So, he has an opportunity to be actually good. How good? The title Julio Jones, who had 924 yards and 4 touchdowns receiving as a freshman at Alabama in 2008, has most frequently been utilized in affiliation with Smith. 

However for all its success producing broad receivers, Ohio State hardly ever fields any 12 months 1 breakouts. Meaning Smith has an opportunity to enter some fairly rarified air. 

Not many freshman Buckeyes receivers have reached 500 yards in a single season. Program legend Cris Carter had 648 in 1984, and few have come near matching him since. 

With a beginning position in one of many nation’s most prolific offenses, it would not be unattainable to see Smith hit that mark. Even when he is taking part in alongside the likes of Emeka Egbuka, a possible 2025 NFL Draft first-round choose, and Carnell Tate, a former five-star prospect in his personal proper that is coming off a strong first-year marketing campaign. 

However Smith is not getting too far forward of himself. For now, he nonetheless must get to the sphere earlier than he can stand alongside a few of Ohio State’s greats. 

“I simply obtained to go on the market on the sphere and simply present you guys that I may very well be the subsequent most likely nice Ohio State receiver to return via right here,” Smith mentioned. “So, I imply, it is a blessing to have that (hype). However I simply obtained to go on the market and play and present you guys.”