Jeremiah Smith, the true freshman from Hollywood, Florida, by way of Cincinnati Withrow High School, has spent the entire 2025 season doing one thing: making history look easy.
58 catches.
1,117 yards.
15 touchdowns.
All three are new Ohio State freshman records, obliterating marks set by Cris Carter, Joey Galloway, and Garrett Wilson, and Marvin Harrison Jr. He did it while starting opposite future first-rounders Emeka Egbuka and Carnell Tate. He did it while catching passes from three different quarterbacks. And he did it while wearing the scarlet and gray pressure of being the highest-rated recruit ever to sign with the Buckeyes.
“He’s the most complete freshman wide receiver I’ve ever been around,” Ryan Day said after Smith’s 3-TD masterpiece in the 42–24 revenge win over Michigan. “The scary part? He’s still getting better every week.”
From Five-Star Recruit to Immediate Legend
When Smith signed with Ohio State in December 2023, the hype was nuclear.
No. 1 overall player in the 247Sports Composite.
Gatorade National Player of the Year.
Caught 100+ passes for 2,957 yards and 44 TDs in his final two high-school seasons.
He arrived in Columbus last January and immediately started treating practice like a highlight reel. By spring ball, veterans were calling him “The Freak.” By fall camp, the starting job was his — no redshirt discussion, no rotation, just the keys to the offense.
2025 season highlights so far:
• 9 catches, 218 yards, 2 TDs in season-opening win over Texas
• Game-winning 56-yard TD grab vs. Penn State with 0:04 left
• 3 TDs and the dagger 4th-down conversion in The Game at Michigan
• Currently leads the Big Ten in receiving TDs and yards per route run
The Real Quote Everyone’s Talking About
After torching Michigan, Smith grabbed the mic at midfield in front of 110,000 stunned Wolverines fans and delivered the line that actually broke the internet:
“I came here to bury The Team Up North — mission accomplished. Now we’re going to Atlanta and bringing that natty back to Columbus.”
No cryptic threats. No teammate shade. Just pure, unfiltered Buckeye swagger.
What’s Next: Playoff Destruction
Ohio State (11–1) earned the No. 2 overall seed in the College Football Playoff and will host a first-round game on December 20 at Ohio Stadium. Analysts already have Smith projected as a top-10 pick in the 2027 NFL Draft — but he’s made it clear he’s not one-and-done.
“I’m not here for one year,” Smith told reporters this week. “I came to Ohio State to win championships — plural. We’ve got unfinished business.”
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