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Jake Trotter
Columbus, Ohio – after a while Ohio StateAnnual scrimmage awards, a crowd of college swarms Jeremiah Smith When he stretched near the side number of the athletic center Woody Hayes. Smith got up and signed as many autographs as he could, while the police tried to clear the space for him.
Buzz around the star Buckeyes The wide receiver has intensified only since the game button against Notre Dame pusadil-Hra, which has seized the first National Ohio Championship in decades and made Smith Buckey legend in one season.
Although Ohio’s fans are still enjoying this title, NFL is already enthusiastic about Smith’s future-if he doesn’t have for the next two years.
Behind behind the scenes, the leaders of the Front Office NFL, Scouts and coaches call Smith a “generation” prospect – the product of one of the most important real right season on higher education in recent history. In interviews with a dozen of them, it was said that the phenomenon of 6-Naha-3, 215 pounds would not fall except for the first five proposal-it was only 19 years old.
“The fact that you are so large, move it smoothly, then let the body control to adjust your body to create these ridiculous catches – it is only, check, check, check,” said NFC staff.
Two coaches of a wide receiver added that Smith would be their highest receiver-in-directional star Colorado Travis Hunter.
“Only because of his up – it is over the roof,” said one of those assistants who also considers Smith to be an excellent prospect for one of the seven receivers taken last year’s first round, including for Bowl Rookies Malik Nabery and Brian Thomas jr. “Just changing the game for defense. You can’t just leave him on the island. If you have such a guy, just change it all. … I haven’t seen any shortcomings in his game.”
One CEO even claimed that he was available for this proposal, Smith would go no. Adrian Peterson He was the only other real newcomer to remember that he was ready for the NFL.
“There are plenty of good players in this particular design, a lot of depth, but if you think about explosive, dominant players, (Smith) would excel,” AFC Scout said. “That’s what jumps from the movie when you watch it. You put it in this design and you’re like,” Well, I really don’t see anyone at this level. “
Ryan Day in time when he found Jeremiah Smith signed Ohio State.
This is a visual definition of relief.@nbc4i pic.twitter.com/0b5pfikxpt
– Jerod Smalley (@jerodnbc4) December 20, 2023
Ohio State Coach Ryan Day addressed the media on the December signature day in 2023, when he was informed that Smith officially signed with Buckeyes. He exhaled the day with relief and then pretended to be fainting from the stage.
Smith arrived in Columbus last spring, a five -star view of offers from almost every Powerhouse program, with so many hypes as any recruitment of Buckey in recent memory.
Somehow he crossed it.
Even in the stacked Buckeyes offense with your back running Quinshon Judkins and Treveyon Henderson as well as a receiver Was a delay – All the expected 50 best tips in this design- Smith excelled.
In his debut Ohio against Akron Smith, he dropped his first goal. But he bounced back to score a few landings and give a look at what to figure out.
Over the next few weeks, Smith dazzled with a series of one -handed catch and explosive scoring games. At the beginning of November, the real newcomer Ohio State broke, who received the records set for Football Hall of Famer Cris Carter in 1984.
Smith ended the lead Buckeyes with 1,315 receiving yards and 15 landing recipes. He exploded in a university football play -off against some of the highest defense of the nation. Although Smith was held at only one reception in the semifinal above Texas, Smith still ended with 381 receiving yards and five landings over four Play -off Ohio State victories.
“He clearly did it how good he was,” AFC said. “I was so amazed by a combination of size, speed for its size, running on the route, and how it wins one per one.”
This culminated in its biggest mission of the year in the national title.
After the frantic assembly of the second half, Notre Dame was on the brink of when he got the ball back in the last two minutes with the possibility to tie. Face to face the third and 11. Buckeyes put the game in Smith’s hands. Quarterback Will Howard He threw the ball down by side to Smith, who beat the corner corner of Notre Dame Christian Gray pull out at a 56-yard reception. Four games later, Buckeyes kicked a 33-yard goal to seal his 34-23 victories.
“It just showed how much he believes in him … And how good it is when playing is playing when the game is on the line,” said NFL trainer. “I am so impressed by how ready and mature is at his age, with all the hype and expectations around him.”
Even after he created such an iconic catch, Smith said he was hungry.
“Just because I made one game … I can’t get into the big head,” he said last week. “I always feel that there is room for improvement. You never feel like you just got it. That’s one thing that many people get wrong, I feel like,” Oh had one good year, well, I’m relaxed. “It’s not in me.
This is a terrifying proposal for the rest of the college football. This is also the biggest reason why Ohio State could defend his title, although he lost 14 starters from the championship team last season.
Smith could take his talents elsewhere. Several agents speculated that Smith could order at least $ 5 million in zero money from other schools if he entered the transmission portal. Instead, he focused on becoming a voiceful leader for overworking Buckeyes.
“A lot of it is learning how to become a good teammate, learn how to encourage other people around them to play winning football, which he does,” said Day, who praised Smith’s humility under such a clear reflector. “You’re starting to see him coming out of his shell.
This spring, Buckeyes experimented using Smith from the slot to add ways to get his ball. They also expand their route tree, which figures to increase its readiness of the NFL.
“You are pursuing 1%. … that’s what it is chasing,” said Ohio State offensive coordinator and receiver coach, who urged Smith to improve his football IQ, and expected the defense guarding him instead. “He has some of the highest goals and is not right now (there). He’s doing a good job on himself.”
Farness of the state of Ohio It has been unrivaled in the production of wide NFL receivers in recent years.
IN Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, JAXON SMITH-NJIGBA and Marvin Harrison jr. Buckeyes created four first wheels on the receiver only in the last three designs. Egbuka could keep the stripe if he went in the first round.
One AFC staff was quickly sold on Smith’s future NFL while watching it, dominated by preseason training before playing in the game.
“No one could touch him,” he said. “I couldn’t even get a hand on him.”
Now sees shades Aj Green and Julio Jones In Smith’s game.
These two went in the first six proposal 2011. Green continued to produce seven for bowls with Cincinnati Bengals. Jones was five times all-for Atlanta Falcons before retirement this month.
“It is as liquid as an AJ, but an explosive and the dog at the catches point like Julio,” said AFC Executive Director.
Others in NFL compared Smith’s style and potential for Jones, which boasted a similar framework.
Jones, who also played as a real newcomer for Alabama, became a national champion. Falcons exchanged perfectly in the design to get it.
One NFL receiver coach predicted that Smith would become “the most sought -after prospect of the Jones receiver”.
This spring, the new defensive coordinator of Ohio State Matt Patricia was surprised by Smith’s “presence” in the field.
Former Detroit Lions The head coach, who won two Super Bowls as a defensive coordinator in New England, including Super Bowl Li over Jones and Falcons (Comeback Tom Brady 28-3), said if he played against Smith, he would double him in every strike.
“You wouldn’t leave it one on one,” Patricia said.
Smith will certainly face even more attention against opposing defense like Sophomore. With the new Quarterback and several untested players around Smith, Smith will transfer a greater load for an offense, especially at the beginning of the season.
Like Smith, Peterson was also a newcomer. He almost rushed to 2,000 yards, finished second in Heisman Trophy and powered Sooons to the national title game. But in the next two seasons he fought injuries and loaded defensive boxes. While Peterson still went No. 7 to Minnesota Vikings In 2007, some scouts warn that Smith’s path could be followed by a similar arch under the microscope. The Scouts acknowledged that Smith’s game could be intake closer to the proposal of 2027. One specifically remarked that he wanted to find out if Smith could rely on his physical dominance instead of his physical dominance.
“The routes (Marvin Harrison Jr.) were accurate as he was in the league,” the Scout said. “He had the constant speed of the game in and out of his breaks and knew how to prepare people over and over again.
Other NFC staff added: “Three touch games against teams that will not be in (Playoff) will not get their attention (no longer).”
This is the standard Smith has already set for himself. And the NFL can’t wait to see what comes next.
“We’ll see how Jeremiah’s story goes,” said AFC scout. “But everyone (in the league) talks about him. You hear all the buzzing:” Who is the guy? How can we get the guy into our team? “
“This is the song he is right now.”
