Jeremiah Smith is a junior wide receiver for the Ohio State Buckeyes. Smith is listed at 6'4 and 224 pounds and is from Miami Gardens, Florida.
Out of Chaminade-Madonna High School in Hollywood, Florida, Smith was a five-star recruit and ESPN's fourth-ranked player in the nation.
Smith has had a storied college career and is regarded as the best wide receiver prospect we've seen since Ja'Marr Chase in 2021. He has all of the tools you could want in a receiver: size, speed, route running, strong hands, and yards-after-catch ability- you name it. Smith is the total package.
The only real question is: just how high can Smith be drafted?
Smith is the best player in the draft, but non-quarterbacks always get pushed down in favor of the signal-callers. No true wide receiver has been taken with a top-three pick since 2008 (Donnie Avery), or first overall since 1996 (Keyshawn Johnson).
But there are already questions about this quarterback class, which was once thought to be the best we've seen in decades. Opening the door to the possibility that Smith could be the top pick in the 2027 NFL Draft.
Jeremiah Smith's NFL Draft Profile
- Position: Wide Receiver
- School: Ohio State
- Height: 6'4
- Weight: 222 LBS
- Class: Junior
- Hometown: Miami Gardens, Florida
Jeremiah Smith's Career Stats
- Games Played: 33*
- Receptions: 196*
- Receiving Yards: 3,175*
- Receiving Touchdowns: 34*
- Yards Per Reception: 16.2*
*statistics do not include the full 2026 season and will be updated
What are Jeremiah Smith's biggest strengths?
- Smith is extremely explosive as an athlete, and this shows immediately at the snap. His get-off at the line is top-notch for a player of that size.
- Sets up routes very well with body and head movements, then is snappy on the routes themselves.
- Can sink his hips and gear down very well for that size and speed. This allows him to break off on routes that ask him to change direction quite easily.
- Ability to decelerate and accelerate mid-route. This is especially helpful on double moves, which he has improved on specifically this season.
- Very good contested catcher on fades in the end zone or coming back to an underthrown ball. Works through contact, can high-point the ball, shows late hands, and is willing to mix it up physically.
- Effective on screens with a combination of size and speed. Has the explosiveness but also runs like a running back. Is patient and finds creases in his blocks and the defenders for a positive gain. Also very hard to bring down.
- Willing blocker, which is especially impressive for how talented a receiver he is.
Where can Jeremiah Smith improve?
- Smith can continue to smooth out some of his change-of-direction routes to make them even harder to anticipate at the NFL level
- His size and willingness already make him an effective college-level blocker, but he'll need to refine his technique some to remain as effective in the NFL.
NFL Draft Projection
Smith will be a top-five pick in the draft, and I'd even say probably top-three. While the talent is deserving of going first overall, somebody is going to need a quarterback and take them with the first pick. But the debates will be fierce through night one of the draft.
NFL Pro Comparison
My comp for Smith is tall Ja'Marr Chase. The explosiveness and physical force of Chase as a receiver feels very similar to watching Smith, just in a shorter and more compact body.
Smith and Chase both can both win in a variety of ways from different alignments, with their explosiveness, body control, and strong hands. But I do think, based on the early returns so far this season, Smith might be slightly more advanced as a route runner than Chase was coming out of LSU.
Final Evaluation
Overall Grade: 98/100
Draft Projection: Top 5 pick
Jeremiah Smith is the best wide receiver prospect I've done a report on, and at the end of the day, he's going to be talked about with the top prospects we've seen at the position. Whichever team takes him is going to get a number-one wide receiver from the first play, and someone who can change their offense.
Teams on the fence about their quarterback situation, meaning they might have another option for 2027, should consider taking Smith before any of the quarterbacks in the class. Even teams that need an early pick at quarterback should consider taking one later if it means they can take Smith.
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