Jeremiah Smith: Ohio State WR Drawing Moss, Fitzgerald Comparisons — SkimNews
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- Jeremiah Smith has broken Ohio State's career records for receptions (211), receiving yards (3,474) and touchdown catches (38) in just three seasons, while leading the Buckeyes to a national title as a freshman.
- Smith has 48 receptions for 916 yards and 11 touchdowns this season, ranking second nationally in all three categories despite constant double-teams, and is the Heisman favorite at -220 on DraftKings — well ahead of Miami's Darian Mensah (+950) and Notre Dame's CJ Carr (+1000).
- Smith leads the nation at 6.03 yards per route run while lining up more frequently in the slot, and accounts for 38% of Ohio State's targets — the second-highest share nationally.
- Texas coach Steve Sarkisian, who has faced Smith three times, told ESPN Smith reminds him of Randy Moss, saying 'he's got length, he's got strength, he's got speed' and 'can take over a game.'
- Larry Fitzgerald, the Hall of Fame wideout and 2003 Heisman runner-up, told ESPN Smith's athleticism 'reminds me a lot of Randy Moss and Calvin Johnson' and that he's 'earned the right to be in that conversation.'
- An NFL general manager told ESPN at the 2025 combine that Smith would have been the No. 1 pick after just one college season — a season he capped with a 56-yard, third-and-11 game-clinching catch from Will Howard to beat Notre Dame in the national championship.
- Smith has not yet won the Biletnikoff Award or been a Heisman finalist, a gap former Ohio State receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba said 'would definitely put the cherry on top' of his resume.
Why it matters: Smith has already cleared Ohio State's career record books in three seasons and is the runaway Heisman favorite, but until he adds a Biletnikoff or Heisman — accolades that would separate him from the Moss/Fitzgerald/Crabtree/Johnson tier — the 'greatest ever' debate stays unsettled. His NFL draft stock is already No. 1-overall territory per one GM, meaning his remaining college games carry historic résumé weight on both fronts.
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