Freshman sensation Jeremiah Smith produced the best wide receiver playoff performance on record as Ohio State dominated Oregon in the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day.
The Buckeyes romped to a 41-21 victory over No. 1 Oregon in Pasadena, with Smith hauling in seven passes for 187 yards and two touchdowns. The victory punched Ohio State’s ticket to the College Football Playoff semifinals, where they will face Texas in the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 10.
Smith’s incredible MVP performance earned universal acclaim from fans and pundits alike. The statisticians were blown away by the 19-year-old’s tape, too, with Smith awarded a 94.6 grade by Pro Football Focus (PFF) for his performance against the Ducks.
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It is the highest-graded performance by a wide receiver in the College Football Playoff in the PFF era, which began in 2014.
Smith was the No. 1 recruit in the 2024 class and the Florida native has lived up to the billing. He ranks sixth in the nation with 1,224 yards, and his 14 receiving touchdowns are the most for a Freshman in Big Ten history.
Members of both coaching staffs were gushing in their praise for Smith. Ohio State offensive coordinator Chip Kelly told USA Today: “He’s the best receiver in the country, and he showed it tonight.
Oregon head coach Dan Lanning didn’t hold back, either. “He’s strong. He attacks the ball in the air as well as any receiver I’ve seen,” Lanning said. “I mean the guy’s NFL-ready. He’s that talented.”
Smith would have a shot of being a top-five pick and the No. 1 wide receiver selected if he were eligible for the 2025 NFL Draft in April. However, NCAA rules stipulate players must remain at the collegiate level for three seasons before they can declare their intention to play in the pros.
It means Smith must remain in college until at least the conclusion of his junior season before he can enter the draft in 2027.
ESPN analyst and former Detroit Lions quarterback Dan Orlovsky made a bold claim about Smith’s draft stock on Thursday’s edition of ‘Get Up!’ He said: “If Jeremiah Smith came out in the draft this year, he would be the number one pick.
Not even close. He would be a shoo-in to be the number-one pick. In the playoff, hes got 13 catches for 204 yards and four touchdowns.
“Those four touchdowns go for 37, 22, 43, and 45. Theyve got the best player left in the playoff. He would be the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft this year.
Colorado and Miami quarterbacks Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward are the leading contenders to be taken No. 1 overall in Green Bay in April. Sanders’ Buffaloes teammate Travis Hunter is also in the running to be the first name off the board.
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