Ohio State used NIL to help build a potential championship-winning team this offseason. However, a 2024 recruit may be one of the difference makers this season for the Buckeyes. Jeremiah Smith was a five-star recruit from the recent 2024 class and ranked the No.1 player in that class. Expectations were that he would be a big part of the team this season, but how polished he has looked has analysts already making bold statements.
On Saturday’s ESPN College Gameday, live from South Carolina, analyst Kirk Herbstreit suggested that Smith could be the best wide receiver the team has ever had down in Colombus.
Bold Statement From Kirk Herbstreit Regarding 2024 Recruit in Columbus
Ohio State has had some talented wide receivers in its history, with the likes of Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, and Marvin Harrison Jr., just a handful of talent the Buckeyes have had at the position more recently. When they grabbed a commitment from 2024 recruit Jeremiah Smith, a five-star prospect, there was genuine excitement about what he could bring to the program over the next three seasons.
The momentum around Smith started in high school but really ramped up during spring practice, when the 2024 recruit lost his black stripe after just four practices. Previous head coach Urban Meyer brought the “black stripe tradition” to the program, with recruits shedding their black stripe when they had proven themselves to the team.
After two games, Smith has 11 receptions for 211 receiving yards and three touchdowns, producing his first 100-yard receiving game in Week 2 against Western Michigan. It may be against lesser teams than the Buckeyes will face later on the schedule, but you can only play against who is in front of you.
ESPN College Gameday co-host Kirk Herbstreit was not letting just two games stop him from making the bold statement that Jeremiah Smith could be the best wide receiver Ohio State has seen. After two games, it’s understandable why Herbstreit would make such a call. With Smith not looking like other wide receivers in the nation, he is a special talent.
Kirk Herbstreit on Ohio State true freshman WR Jeremiah Smith:
“He could be the best they've ever had”https://t.co/zW9oR3HxPl pic.twitter.com/R9Uii40GAD
— On3 (@On3sports) September 14, 2024
In the words of the ESPN analyst, “This dude is a grown man.” Smith stands at 6-foot-3, 215 pounds, but moves like somebody much smaller. He is already a polished route runner from high school and is highly knowledgeable of the offense.
2024 Recruit Jeremiah Smith Has Some Way to Go to Be the Greatest
The five-star 2024 recruit may have the backing of college football analysts, but he still has some way to go to be the greatest. Former wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who now plays in the NFL with the Seattle Seahawks, holds several single-season records. He leads in single-season (95) and single-game (15) receptions. He also leads single-season (1,606) and single-game (347) receiving yards, all done in the 2021 season.
Chris Olave is another recent wide receiver who holds the record for the all-time leader in receiving touchdowns, with 35 from 2018-2021. Records don’t mean everything, but they are a good measure of how well a player has done for the program. Winning conference and national titles will make you stand out even more.
The last time Ohio State won a national title was in 2014, and the Buckeyes have failed to win the Big Ten for the previous three seasons, dominated by rivals Michigan in that time. If Jeremiah Smith can help guide the program to a conference and national title, it will be an excellent start to his legacy as an Ohio State player.
The 2024 recruit is set for a fun journey as a Buckeye wide receiver will be fun. We will see in potentially three seasons if Kirk Herbstreit was right
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