247Sport
Five-star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith submitted his national letter of intent to Ohio State late Wednesday night, the team announced. This came after Smith reaffirmed his commitment to the Buckeyes in a signing ceremony earlier this afternoon.
Ohio State coach Ryan Day expressed relief about the situation at his signing day press conference, but was later informed by a staff member that the school had not received Smith's NLI, according to 247Sports. Buckeyes fans then endured several hours of discomfort before the team broke the silence with a social media announcement late Wednesday night.
Smith is the first receiver ever to be ranked as the No. 1 player in the 247Sports recruiting rankings. He first committed to Ohio State in December 2022. Miami, Florida and Florida State were all eager suitors in the fight for Smith's services. Miami, in particular, attracted late attention as National Signing Day approached.
247Sports scouting director Andrew Ivins compared Smith to Julio Jones, the former Alabama star and seven-time Pro Bowler with the Philadelphia Eagles.
An absolute bully at the catch point who will provide defensive offense due to the rare combination of size, speed and hands. Wasn't always the tallest guy, but at about 6'3″ and weighing about 195 pounds, he has a more college-ready frame and will likely only increase in size in the coming years due to his large facial features. Faster than fast, but it doesn't take long for him to reach his peak performance in the pads, and he's one of the best in recent cycles at stacking defensive backs and using offensive leverage. Has pulled off a number of catch-worthy highlights over the years – including a deft one-handed hook as a senior on ESPN2 – and often trips up anything that comes his way due to his excellent body control and uses impressive concentration to secure the prize.
Smith finished his high school career at South Florida powerhouse Chaminade-Madonna Prep with over 3,000 yards receiving. As a senior, he caught 88 passes for 1,376 yards, leading his team to a 14-0 record. Smith passed Nebraska signee Dylan Raiola to earn the No. 1 spot in his class earlier this fall.