Cincinnati Bengals‘ star wideout Ja’Marr Chase had some high praise for Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith just days before Smith made program history.
Smith went off for 11 catches, 206 yards and two touchdowns in Ohio State’s 31-14 win over No. 14 Iowa, breaking the program’s career records for receptions and receiving touchdowns.
Just two days before Smith torched the Hawkeyes, Chase called Smith one of the best receivers in college football and singled out one part of his game as worthy of an “A-plus.”
Ja’Marr Chase Had High Praise for Jeremiah Smith
Chase is one of the best WRs in the NFL. He is a credible expert on high-end receiver play as a former Triple Crown winner and a perennial 1,000-yard wideout in the NFL. It makes sense why reporters were curious about his take on the Ohio State standout. When asked about Smith, Chase said, “The dude is crazy good.” He went on to call him one of the best, if not the best, WRs in college football and gave especially high praise to his contested-catch ability, calling it an “A-plus.”
That moves him into 3rd place all-time in Ohio State history👏
(via @OhioStateFB)
Smith didn’t take long to prove Chase right. He feasted on Iowa’s defense on Saturday, which had no answers for the star receiver. His 11 catches and two touchdowns vaulted him into Ohio State history, and he has now established himself as Ohio State’s all-time leader in receptions and receiving touchdowns.
Jeremiah Smith Continues Historic Ohio State Career
Smith’s record-breaking day against Iowa only added to what has already been a historic career at Ohio State. The star junior now owns all three of the Buckeyes’ major career receiving records: 207 receptions, 3,381 receiving yards and 36 receiving touchdowns.
Smith had already broken Michael Jenkins’ longstanding receiving yards record earlier this season, but Saturday put him atop the other two categories as well. His 11 catches pushed him past Emeka Egbuka for the most receptions in program history, while his second touchdown of the game broke Chris Olave’s previous record of 35 career receiving touchdowns.
The records may not stop at Ohio State. Smith is now tied for third in Big Ten history with 36 receiving touchdowns, putting him just three behind former Michigan star Braylon Edwards’ conference record of 39. He’s also just 407 yards away from breaking the Big Ten’s career receiving yards record.
For a program that has produced NFL stars like Olave, Egbuka, Garrett Wilson and Marvin Harrison Jr. in recent years, Smith has already separated himself statistically from the rest. Chase’s praise may have sounded lofty at the time, but Smith continues to give him plenty of evidence to back it up.
Smith has got plenty of games left this season to chase history and bolster his Ohio State records. If his recent performances are any indication, his numbers are going to be hard for anyone to replicate as he continues to build a case as one of college football’s most dominant receivers.
Ja’Marr Chase, one of the NFL’s best receivers, certainly sees something special in the Ohio State star. Smith made him look smart this week with his eye-popping stat line.
Bengals Star Ja’Marr Chase’s Jeremiah Smith Take Looks Even Better After Historic Game