5-star Ohio State WR commit Jeremiah Smith is ‘as good as you’ll see’

When Ohio State wide receivers coach Brian Hartline hits the recruiting trail, he tends to convince the best that Columbus, Ohio is the place to be as an elite pass-catching recruit.

That is no different in the 2024 cycle, where Ohio State secured the commitment of Hollywood (Fla.) Chaminade-Madonna Prep No. 1 overall prospect Jeremiah Smith early on in the cycle.

Smith, the top prospect in the 2024 On3 Industry Ranking, put on a performance of a lifetime last week against football powerhouse Oradell (N.J.) Bergen Catholic. In a blowout victory, Smith caught 16 passes for 316 yards and three touchdowns in three quarters. On3 Director of Scouting and Ranking Charles Power spoke with Josh Newberg on On3’s The Inside Scoop about just how special of a recruit Smith is.

Power: Smith is ‘as good as you’ll see’

“Five-star Ohio State commit Jeremiah Smith showed why he is the top receiver in the 2024 cycle and one of the top overall prospects, recently just having a monster against Bergen Catholic in New Jersey,” Power said. “Jeremiah Smith had 16 catches for 316 yards and three touchdowns in just three quarters. Was pulled out of the game, and this was against high school programs in the state of New Jersey, one of the best teams in New Jersey. Jeremiah Smith just had the full package of skills on display. He has elite burst and movement skills at his size.

“To be honest, it looked like the film was in fast-forward at times just with how fast he was moving, just with how fast he was moving but that’s not the case,” Power continued. “This is legitimate play-speed film that we’re watching here. He’s at 6-(foot)-3, 200 pounds. He has a full route tree. Like I said, exceptional movement skills, can sink his hips. Strong hands, toughness and speed after the catch. Just a phenomenal, phenomenal showing. And really, as good as you’ll see from the high school level with a high-volume target for a five-star prospect.”

High ceiling, high floor

Power went back through a list of elite receiver prospects over the years, comparing them to the complete skill package he has seen from Smith. As the 2024 cycle hits the home stretch, it is possible that Smith may surpass any of them.

“I think you have to go back a ways,” Power said. “I’m not sure we’ve seen this combination of size, speed, skills and just overall technical ability come out of South Florida in a very long time. I closely covered and got to see Amari Cooper, Calvin Ridley, Jerry Jeudy — those types of guys — five-star prospects, first-round picks in person in high school. And I’m not sure they had the overall just skill package and physical ability we see from Jeremiah Smith. I think you have to go back a really far way. Now to me, the gold standard at the receiver position in the internet recruiting era is the class of 2008 — Julio Jones, AJ Green. I think those guys were as good as I’ve ever seen, I actually got to see AJ Green in person in high school and they were unbelievable.

“Jeremiah Smith could be in that category,” Power added. “This is an ongoing evaluation, we still have a lot of his senior season left to play. We’re going to see him in person hopefully at a national all-star game. But he could be that good. This is a guy that could potentially challenge for the No. 1 prospect in the nation regardless of position. He is an elite game-changing type of prospect at receiver and I think he is an instant impact freshman, freshman all-American type, three-and-out first-round pick. He has that ability and a very high ceiling but also a very high floor. A guy we just feel great about.”

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