Ohio State’s $20 million roster saw many leave for the NFL, yet they have one standout remaining—Jeremiah Smith. Ever since he torched the Akron Zips in his debut, he has played like a firecracker with a short fuse, giving nightmares to other teams’ defenses. He isn’t just making headlines; he’s rewriting FBS record books, racking up yards and touchdowns. And trophies? He already claimed Big Ten Freshman and Receiver of the Year awards, and now graces the cover of EA Sports College Football 26. With a résumé this explosive, it’s no exaggeration that Smith is drawing comparisons to a 17,492-yard NFL legend.
Well, the second-year wideout enters this season with the most hype of any non-quarterback since Reggie Bush or Adrian Peterson. What’s more, Jeremiah Smith is already a top Heisman contender.
He’s tied with Cade Klubnik and Garrett Nussmeier for the second-shortest odds to win the award on ESPN BET. The impressive part? His odds (+900) are even better than those of DeVonta Smith, who actually won the Heisman in 2020. So when Andy Staples and Ari Wasserman compared him to this legendary Arizona Cardinals WR, it made sense.
And On3’s Andy Staples didn’t mince words before giving Jeremiah Smith the title of the best receiver in CFB. “Jeremiah Smith is undoubtedly the best receiver in college football. Maybe the best receiver in college football in a long, long time. Like the only name I actually hear him compared to that even makes sense is Larry Fitzgerald. And it’s pretty lofty, but I don’t feel like it’s overblown. I think Jeremiah Smith is potentially better than Larry Fitzgerald in college.” Well, drawing comparisons with an NFL legend at just 19 years old is certainly no small thing.
Even Ari Wasserman jumped right into the conversation, setting a clear expectation for Jeremiah Smith’s pro future. “I believe that when his NFL career is over with he will be the greatest receiver to have ever played. Like that’s where I’m at with him.” Analysts are already looking beyond college football for Smith, focusing on his NFL career. And can you blame them? As a true freshman, Jeremiah Smith put up incredible numbers: 76 catches for 1,315 yards and 13 touchdowns. These stats clearly show why he’s being compared to Larry Fitzgerald. Imagine being compared to one of the greatest receivers in NFL history? That’s absolutely massive!
But the comparisons didn’t stop with Larry Fitzgerald.
Andy Staples added, “Being better than Calvin Johnson and Jerry Rice, there’s a lot—a long way to go for that. But he has all the tools.” And Wasserman agrees, believing the day Smith reaches that elite level isn’t far off. “My expectation based on what I know about him and his physical measurables and his production so far is that he should do that.” It’s a huge statement, considering Calvin Johnson and Jerry Rice are arguably the greatest receivers the NFL has ever seen. But the fact that people think Jeremiah Smith can surpass even them shows just how incredible his play was last season. And honestly, the praise doesn’t stop there.
Jeremiah Smith’s caliber gets a friend’s approval
Jeremiah Smith and Ryan Williams are truly shaking up college football. These two freshmen didn’t just grab headlines; they owned the spotlight, playing with confidence and rewriting record books. They even grace the cover of EA Sports College Football 26! But the real highlight was their latest appearance on the New Wave Podcast.
The two players joked, bantered, and shared smart comments. Fans loved it. It wasn’t just a basic promotion clip; it felt more like two future stars getting a read on each other. When asked about his in-game rating, Ryan Williams responded humbly: “Last year, finished strong with a 90 overall. This year, at the beginning of the season, we got to go like 94-95. We got to start strong, but by the end of the season we going to have that 99. We going to finish strong. We just not going to worry about it,” before playfully adding, “That’s not a true…That’s not a true [estimation] overall, you know. Y’all can give me like 60-62. I’ll take it.”
The spotlight then turned to Jeremiah Smith, and Williams showered him with praise. “Overall 95. Speed, it can’t be higher than mine, so we going to say 96, 97,” he said of the Buckeyes star. “Strength, if mine was a 62, he got to be about 80. I had seen some crazy stuff. So yeah, about a 75, 80.” Smith laughed and returned the respect. “Overall 95, 96. Speed, I’m going to go 97, 98,” he said, pausing before adding, “Strength, 65.”
Their playful jabs clearly showed mutual admiration and respect, even with their rivalry. Williams, a speedy 6’0”, 175-pound receiver, dominates the field.
Smith even admitted, “His speed is different. I’ve got a little speed, but I’d take his speed for sure. I need that.” The Alabama receiver also admired Smith’s physique, calling him “He is a big dog,” and adding, “I wish my hands were bigger. If I had his hands, oh my goodness, it’d be crazy.” Their genuine bond truly shone through their raw conversation.
What many fans don’t know is that these two stars almost played college football together. In an interview with The Athletic’s Chris Vannini, they revealed they discussed teaming up during a Georgia recruiting visit.
“I tried to get him. I was like, ‘Team up,’ and he was like ‘Hmmm.’ We thought about it. We didn’t think about it,” Williams shared. Smith echoed the thought, “It would’ve been crazy.” To which Williams replied, “You can’t [stop that].” Georgia must regret this missed opportunity—a historic pairing that never happened.
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