The Ohio State Buckeyes (8-1) are the epitome of complimentary football. They boast the no.1 defense in the country. In tandem with that is an offense that captivates onlookers everywhere. Kansas State transfer Will Howard’s ascension has been great to witness, although the main attractions are certainly the route runners out wide. The crown jewel is perhaps true freshman Jeremiah Smith. Amidst all the fervor, a rationale that he should be up for the coveted Fred Biletnikoff award has gained traction. However one expert believes people might be getting ahead of themselves.

Calling Jeremiah Smith a prodigy almost feels unfair to other talented kids on the scene. The 18-year-old has played years beyond his age. His OC Chip Kelly even said Jeremiah is like a “10-year NFL vet” already. The Buckeyes’ receiving core hasn’t missed a beat since he took on the mantle from his predecessor, Marvin Harrison Jr. Ironically, the succession may even see a fairytale parallel since Harrison is the last recipient of the Biletnikoff. CFB analyst Ryan Roberts isn’t quite sure.

Appearing on the Locked on Buckeyes podcast, Roberts was asked whether Jeremiah has a “realistic shot to win the Biletnikoff”.  He replied, “I mean, yeah, he has to be in the conversation, I think, right? It’s going to be one of those years where, [are] his numbers gonna be as big as some other guys that are gonna be on that list? No, because he doesn’t have the share of the b-ll with Emeka Egbuka, Carnell Tate and all these dudes”.

Statistically, Jeremiah is having the best freshman season in Buckeyes history. He’s broken the freshman records for receiving yards and TDs, both previously held by HOFer Cris Carter. All this while his reception numbers are firmly middling compared to his competition for the Biletnikoff. That’s because of two other cogs in the Buckeyes’ wheel in Egbuka and Tate. While Jeremiah has stood out enough to get plaudits, the pie is divided amongst a holistically talented bunch. His numbers are not the most gaudy.

Jeremiah definitely doesn’t have any grievances. “I’ll really say Emeka [Egbuka] is a real reason why I’m having the season that I’m having. Him and Carnell [Tate] just help me a lot out there with knowing plays that we’re running and everything like that. Just understanding defense and stuff like that”, he said about his partners in crime. So, with that said, who stands in his way for the honor? And more importantly, are the stats really even a hindrance?

The Fred Biletnikoff Award is not set in stone just yet

“There needs to be a deeper conversation of, like, the best wide receiver versus the best stat line at wide receiver. But again, if you told me your opinion was simply this- Jeremiah Smith is the best wide receiver in college football, so he should win the Biletnikoff, I wouldn’t really have any pushback on it”, said Ryan Roberts during the aforementioned podcast. 

Even amidst the skepticism, Roberts believes Jeremiah to be WR1 in the college football landscape. This feeds into the notion that the award is biased towards statistical prowess. If that is the case, Miami’s Xavier Restrepo is the frontrunner. The senior has 10 TDs and 934 yards, averaging 17 yards/reception. No prizes for guessing another contender is Travis Hunter. While his stats aren’t as flashy, context really matters. It’s not like he’s slacking either, with 9/856/12.4 splits respectively.

Jeremiah Smith averages as many yards per reception as Restrepo. He has the same number of TDs as Hunter. The only facet he falls short in is total yards, owing to his mere 45 receptions compared to 55 and 69, respectively, for the other two. This, of course, is due to the wealth of riches Ryan Day has at WR position. 

With Ohio State destined to make a deep playoff run, Jeremiah will have plenty more opportunities to strengthen his case. He is not one to back down from a challenge. The journey begins on Saturday (November 16) when he and the Buckeyes face Northwestern.