Each game, Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith not only makes his case for being the No. 1 overall pick in the 2027 NFL Draft but also makes his case for winning the Heisman Trophy and, just maybe, leaving school as the greatest wide receiver in school history.
Smith added the latest chapter to his legacy on Saturday in a 42-19 win over Illinois.
From ESPN Insights’ official X account: “Jeremiah Smith again! His 4th rec TD of the day ties the Ohio State single game record! He joins Terry Glenn (1995) as the only players in Ohio State history with 200 rec yards and 4 rec TD in a single game. Smith is now the favorite to win the Heisman Trophy at +340 according to DraftKings Sportsbook, he entered the day fourth at +1050.”
Smith finished with 12 receptions for 217 yards and 4 touchdowns — all career highs — and has 33 receptions for 617 yards and 7 touchdowns through 4 games.
“Jeremiah Smith is the first Ohio State WR to record 200+ yards and 4+ touchdowns in a single game since 1995,” Underdog wrote on its official X account.
Jeremiah Smith: Once in a Lifetime Wide Receiver
When trying to qualify exactly what kind of an NFL prospect Jeremiah Smith is, please consider there is a real chance he’s selected No. 1 overall in the 2027 NFL draft, which would make him the first wide receiver to go No. 1 overall since USC’s Keyshawn Johnson was selected by the New York Jets with the top pick in 1996.
Smith, 6-foot-3 and 223 pounds, was the No. 1 overall recruit in the Class of 2024 out of Chaminade-Madonna Prep in Hollywood, Florida, where he was the highest-rated wide receiver recruit in the modern recruiting era — essentially dating back to 2000.
Drew Comparisons to Future Hall of Fame WR
During Smith’s senior year of high school, 247Sports Director of Scouting Andrew Ivins projected Smith as a future 1st-round pick and compared him to 5-time NFL All-Pro wide receiver Julio Jones — the No. 6 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft.
“One of the top prospects to come out of South Florida in the modern recruiting era and the type of wide receiver that will give opposing defenses fits given the rare combination of his size, speed and hands,” Ivins wrote in 2024. ” … He’s the safest bet in the 2024 cycle and a future playmaker for a College Football Playoff contender that can handle a high volume of targets. Will need to keep perfecting his craft, but should see the field early on in his collegiate career and then eventually suit up on Sundays as a Day 1 selection.”
Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith Makes History in Win Over Illinois