During a red zone drill at Ohio State University’s training camp on Thursday, cornerback Davison Igbinosun intercepted a fade pass in the end zone intended for first-year wide receiver Jeremiah Smith.
As is his way, Igbonisun celebrated exuberantly and with a healthy dose of trash talk. Smith took it in his stride and calmly uttered a sentence.
“I said, ‘OK, I’ll be back,'” Smith said.
Later in practice, Smith made a contested catch deep on the sideline while Igbinosun was being closely guarded. Smith didn’t celebrate wildly. He just said one thing to Igbinosun.
“I said, ‘I told you I’d be back, right?'” Smith said.
He recalled the sequence matter-of-factly. Smith is soft-spoken and doesn’t boast. But he has a confidence that is based on talent and maturity that are unusual for his age.
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Smith is only a freshman, but he’s unlike any other freshman receiver the Buckeyes have ever had. In recent years, Ohio State has had an incredible selection of receivers, from Chris Olave to Garrett Wilson to Jaxon Smith-Njigba to Marvin Harrison Jr., all first-round NFL draft picks.
None of them started as freshmen. The Miami Gardens, Florida native almost certainly did so, showing that his status as the No. 1 recruit in the 2024 class was no mistake.
Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State football receiver: The hype is “a blessing.”
Ohio State football wide receiver Jeremiah Smith talks about his first fall camp with the Buckeyes.
“He’s a true pro,” said cornerback Denzel Burke, who doesn’t give praise lightly. “He’s 18 years old and has everything you want in a prototypical receiver.”
At 1.90 m tall and weighing 97 kg, he does not look like a typical freshman.
“He’s strong, he’s powerful, he’s big,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day said.
But what impresses Day and his teammates even more is Smith’s work ethic and maturity. He was one of 10 named an “Iron Buckeye” by the team’s strength and conditioning staff. Smith is believed to be the first freshman to be honored with the award.
He thrives in heated battles like the one with Igbinosun.
“That’s why I decided to come to Ohio State – to compete against the best DB group in the country every day,” Smith said.
Day said that attitude is what is so impressive about him.
“I love his spirit,” he said. “He’s so ambitious. There are very, very few MAs (missed appearances) for a young player. He takes his game very, very seriously.”
Smith said his father, Christopher, instilled that maturity in him.
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“Don’t act my age. Act older than I am,” Smith said his father told him when he was young. “A lot of people told me I don’t act my age, that I’m way too old for my age.”
Smith committed to Ohio State in December 2022, a full 12 months before he could sign his letter of intent. But on signing day, speculation arose that he might join his hometown Miami Hurricanes. When Day received confirmation that Smith had signed during his press conference, he half-seriously, half-jokingly dropped to his knees in relief.
“I didn’t think about freaking out at all,” Smith said. “I don’t know why people portrayed it that way. I was a Buckeye, and that was it.”
When he arrived in January, Smith made an immediate impression and it has continued. The Iron Buckeye Award is proof.
“He works extremely hard,” said Brian Hartline, OSU’s wide receivers coach. “It’s not just about the weight lifting or speed numbers. It’s about the way you carry yourself, the way you train, what drives you. All of that is important.”
Smith confidently handles the hype surrounding him.
“It’s a blessing, but you don’t want to get caught up in the hype,” he said. “I just stay focused and look for ways to get better every day.”
Smith said he is avoiding social media. He said he won’t overreact if he doesn’t have a big game in the Buckeyes’ opener against Akron.
“I know there’s a lot of expectations placed on me because I’m the best player in the country and all the hype around me,” Smith said. “I’m going to try to block all that out and focus on what’s important – the team and our receiver room and our locker room.”
