The term “true freshman” just doesn’t equate the same in the current make-up of CFB. The times with frail, cagey highschoolers making the step-up are a thing of the past. No more cagey, only courageous. Athletes are now almost ready off the proverbial production line at the talent factory, with no growing pains or bedding required. Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith is the epitome of this phenomenon.

Labelling Jeremiah Smith a true freshman or a prodigy is a disservice to his other talented peers. Still an 18-year-old, he plays eons beyond his age. His offensive coordinator, Chip Kelly, who’s seen a few elite pass catchers in his time, concurs with this. Merely a couple of months into his first season, Kelly stated Jeremiah is like a “10-year NFL vet” already. Well, the plaudits he’s receiving from a revered NFL draft analyst are perhaps a foreshadowing of this comparison becoming a reality.

Todd McShay has bestowed some almost unprecedented stock on Jeremiah Smith. A post on X which caught onto McShay’s radar asked a hypothetical question. “Jeremiah Smith, Travis Hunter, Ryan Williams, Marvin Harrison Jr, Malik Nabers [and] Jaxon Smith-Njigba. If all of these WRs were in the same draft class, who would be picked first?” read the post. Todd McShay’s response to this didn’t only put Jeremiah on a pedestal atop these elite names, it went a step further.

He quoted this post by answering, “Jeremiah Smith. If eligible in April, he would be the first WR taken. No. 1 overall in the draft since Keyshawn Johnson in 1996. But we’ll have to wait until 2027…” Receivers being inhibited from the first pick is like an unspoken rule at this point. Just doesn’t ever seem to transpire. However, this claim from Todd McShay is not as hyperbolic as it seems.

The NFL Draft isn’t necessarily a meritocracy. It is certainly not an exact rundown of the best players in ascending order. Quarterbacks, for instance, are understandably given more onus towards the top. Even if a WR is perceived to be better than his adversaries, their position in the pecking order may not be in accordance with their talent. Hence, someone like Ja’Marr Chase slips down to 5th. What Jeremiah Smith is doing, in addition to the history of picks like Chase, could bring about a paradigm shift.

The latest bit of history that Jeremiah Smith just created backs up his NFL prospects

Jeremiah Smith is unequivocally having the best freshman season in Buckeyes history. He’s broken the records for receiving yards and TDs, both previously held by HOFer Cris Carter. To top off an already unreal season, he’s now become the 1st freshman in OSU history to breach the 1000-yard mark. Jeremiah achieved this during what was arguably his best game to date, against Tennessee in the CFP round 1.

Breaking these records at a blueblood such as Ohio State goes to show just how special Jeremiah truly is. Not to mention, he’s done this on relatively fewer receptions due to Emeka Egbuka and Carnell Tate seeing so much of the football, too. So, let’s mesh this with the aforementioned case study of Ja’Marr Chase.

Ja’Marr was a key piece in one of the greatest CFB offenses of this century. So when he hit the draft after his national championship at LSU, many believed he was pound-for-pound the best in his 2021 draft class. Yet, he was drafted behind 3 quarterbacks due to historic precedence, as well as Kyle Pitts. Hindsight is 20/20, but Chase is by far having a better career than the players picked ahead of him. 

This blunder is a lesson that delves into Todd McShay’s hypothesis. Wide receivers going no.1 overall shouldn’t be scuffed at, perhaps, especially when they’re of Jeremiah Smith’s ilk. When he does eventually move on to the pros, it’ll be fascinating whether this precedent around WRs get’s thwarted. Travis Hunter has an opportunity this year, but not as a pure receiver. For now, the folks in Columbus will be delighted they’ve got Jeremiah for a few more years.