American Football
How Jeremiah Smith is changing college football
Discover how Ohio State University wide receiver Jeremiah Smith is redefining American Football at college level - and get to know him years ahead of his potential NFL future.
US football star Jeremiah Smith has garnered a lot of attention for a someone just out of high school - some of it before he even played his first college football game. When asked about all the early hype, the Ohio State wide receiver kept it humble.
“It’s a blessing, but you don’t want that hype to affect you,” Smith said during a recent Ohio State Football interview. “I just keep my head down, just find ways to get better each and every day.”
Jeremiah Smith running drills at Ohio State
© Nick Brown
He’s absolutely succeeding at that - and in the process, he’s redefining what it means to be a wide receiver and changing college football. Keep reading to learn all about Jeremiah Smith and his stellar achievements to date.
01
Who is Jeremiah Smith?
Jeremiah Smith is a game-changing athlete who’s rapidly emerging as the college football star to watch. Despite making waves with college football enthusiasts, he’s said to be quiet and humble, yet determined to win. In his 2024 high-school scouting report, he was compared to Julio Jones, wide receiver for the NFL’s Tennessee Titans.
02
Jeremiah Smith quick facts
- How old is Jeremiah Smith? 19 (born November 29, 2005)
- How tall is Jeremiah Smith? 6ft 3in (190.5cm)
- How much does Jeremiah Smith weigh? 215lbs (97.5kg)
- What position does Jeremiah Smith play? Wide receiver
- Where is Jeremiah Smith from? Miami Gardens, Florida
03
High-school football track record
Jeremiah Smith warms up ahead of a training session
© Maggie Zerbe/Red Bull Content Pool
Smith attended Hollywood, Florida’s Chaminade-Madonna Prep High School and played on its football team. With Smith as wide receiver, the team closed out 2023 ranked second in the nation, with a 14-0 record.
Across these 14 games, Smith had 19 touchdowns and 88 receptions for 1,376 yards. In the last of these games, he scored a touchdown and caught 11 passes for 170 yards to win the state championship. Across his final two high school seasons, he scored 39 touchdowns in 28 games with 151 passes for 2,474 yards. He was also a track star who won individual Florida 110m and 400m hurdle state titles in his junior year.
At the end of the 2023 season, MaxPreps (a US source for high-school sports stats) named Smith Player of the Year in Florida. Smith also earned the Nat Moore Trophy, given annually to the best high school footballer in Monroe, Broward and Miami-Dade counties in Florida. He was also among 24/7 Sports’ five finalists for the National Player of the Year title.
04
Recruited by Ohio State
Jeremiah Smith trains in Columbus, Ohio
© Maggie Zerbe/Red Bull Content Pool
Smith’s accomplishments ensured he was heavily competed for in the 2024 college football recruiting season. Every major recruiting service ranked him as a five-star prospect, and he was the 2024 class’s first-ranked wide receiver - and first-ranked player across all positions by 24/7 Sports.
Smith verbally committed to Ohio State in 2022 and reaffirmed that commitment on December 20, 2023 when he officially signed his letter of intent. In Smith's first game, he scored two touchdowns and became the first freshman to earn OSU’s Iron Buckeye honours for his offseason achievements. It's fair to say, then, that Smith is the most exciting newcomer to college football.
05
Redefining the wide receiver role
Jeremiah Smith boasts an intimidating blend of speed, skill and power
© Maggie Zerbe/Red Bull Content Pool
In January 2024, Andrew Irvins, 24/7 Sports’ Director of Scouting, shared his newest high-school scouting report on Smith. Irvins dubbed Smith “one of the top prospects to come out of South Florida in the modern recruiting era.” Irvins also said that Smith is the “type of wide receiver that will give opposing defenses fits, given the rare combination of his size, speed and hands.”
Smith, at 1.9m and 97kg, is such an imposing figure that he can overwhelm defensive backs just by being on the field. Irvins observed that he can also outrun crowded areas and avoid being tackled with no issue.
On top of that, Smith is known for his strength. Before he arrived at Ohio State, he was bench pressing 160kg and squatting 240kg. He was also broad jumping 10-10 and running at maximum speeds of 37.64kph. From his size to his strength and speed, his unmatched physical attributes make him a force to be reckoned with.
It’s clear that Smith is an elite playmaker whether he’s running or catching. His versatility on the field is why a September 2024 New York Times headline described him as OSU’s “ultimate cheat code.”
06
Jeremiah Smith’s awards and record-breaking achievements
Jeremiah Smith has a bright future ahead of him
© Nick Brown/Red Bull Content Pool
- In Smith’s freshman year, he shattered Ohio State’s freshmen receiving records for yards (934), touchdown receptions (10), 100-yard games (three), and receptions (57).
- The stats above made Smith the first-ranked college football freshman in yards and touchdowns, and the second-ranked in receptions.
- He won the Richter-Howard Receiver of the Year Award in 2024, following the award going to fellow Buckeye Marvin Harrison Jr. in 2022 and 2023.
- He also won the Thompson-Randle-El Freshman of the Year award in 2024, becoming just the 11th OSU footballer to earn this honour.
- He was named to the First-Team All-Big Ten in 2024.
- In December 2024, a panel of Associated Press voters named Smith the Big Ten’s Newcomer of the Year.
- In January 2025, Smith and Ohio State won the College Football Playoff National Championship.
07
Does Jeremiah Smith have NFL potential?
Between the hype around him and commentary from one-time Buckeyes who have now gone pro, Smith has tremendous NFL potential. Former Buckeye Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who was a first-round draft pick to the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks, told ESPN that, in his opinion, Smith would be ready for the NFL after just one year of college football.
That said, Smith is not eligible for NFL drafting until 2027. Still though, he has NFL analysts already talking, including ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky who said he would have been the first overall pick in the 2024 draft if eligible.
"Wouldn't even be close," the former NFL quarterback said on ESPN’s Get Up. "He would easily be the number-one pick in the draft. You will have teams in two years for that '27 [NFL Draft] tanking for him."
08
Jeremiah Smith: redefining excellence in college football
From his stature to his accomplishments, Smith is rewriting the rules of being a wide receiver and a college football player in general. Those who continue watching his journey will get to say they were fans before he became a household name. And given Smith’s NFL prospects and immense talent, household-name status is well within reach for him - and right now, he’s already changing the game.