Last season, Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day called the 2024 No.1 recruit, Jeremiah Smith, an "unbelievable example." Since then, the expectations are already high. This season, the wide receiver is projected to break a four-year drought.

On the May 29 episode of Josh Pate College Football Show, the host, Josh Pate, shared a prediction by a fan named Mike from Ohio.

"@Jeremiah_Smith1 1.8k + yards and 15Td's," read the tweet.

Pate gave the prediction a 9.25 out of 10 on his boldness scale, which tells you he is not exactly expecting it to be easy.

"The number one receiver in FBS each of the last four years failed to get to 1,800 yards," said Pate. "Just to give you an idea of how lofty that number is."

As a freshman, Smith put up 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns. His sophomore year brought 1,243 yards and 12 scores. The production has been consistent, but 1,800 is a completely different conversation.

"So I expect this to be his biggest year statistically," said Pate. "1815. That's what we got to hit.

Part of what makes Smith's situation unique is how Ohio State tends to use him. He lines up all over the formation, draws the toughest coverage assignments every single week, and still produces. Adding volume on top of that efficiency is what would push him into historic territory.

The analyst suggests Ohio State's defense may not be quite as dominant as it has been in recent years. If the defense allows more points, the offense will likely have to stay aggressive for longer stretches of games.

Calling Smith "alien" to break the drought after DeVonta Smith, Pate suggests the offense could funnel even more passes his way. It will increase his chances of piling up receiving yards and touchdowns.

The Mindset Behind What Could Be His Biggest Season Yet

Smith has not been quiet about what he is after. After losing the Biletnikoff Award to USC's Makai Lemon last December despite finishing in the Heisman Trophy top 10, he posted a photo of the trophy on Instagram alongside Ohio State's two winners with three words as the caption.

"All or nothing," the post read.

That is the version of Jeremiah Smith heading into 2026. And the outside noise is only adding to it. ESPN analyst David Pollack recently said the gap between Smith and Miami's Malachi Toney is far smaller than most expect.

"The separation between Malachi Toney and Jeremiah Smith is not that great," Pollack said. "All of the things that Malachi Toney does for you, I would argue, is more impactful than Jeremiah Smith."

Pollack's point was about deployment and impact, not talent. But for a player already operating with an "all or nothing" mentality, that kind of comparison only adds to what 2026 already means for him.

Is Jeremiah Smith about to have the greatest wide receiver season college football has seen in years? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Farheen Fathima

Edited by

Soheli Tarafdar