The Buckeyes' star said he never considered leaving Columbus despite interest from other programs


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Jeremiah Smith is back at Ohio State for what most expect to be his third and final year of college football before eventually declaring early for the 2027 NFL Draft. Despite a season that ended in disappointment, Smith's commitment to Columbus was never in serious question.

Still, after Ohio State's season-ending loss to Miami in the College Football Playoff quarterfinal at the Cotton Bowl, some wondered whether the Miami native might entertain offers from other programs. When reporters asked Smith on Saturday about that interest, Smith alluded to a sizeable outside offer.

"I wasn't surprised," Smith said. "I knew, especially at the end of that game (against Miami), that a certain program was going to come at me very hard. Not gonna say no names, I think everybody here knows who it was. But I wasn't goin' nowhere."

Smith starred at Hollywood (Florida) Chaminade-Madonna, one of the state's most prominent high school programs. He entered college as the nation's top-ranked recruit in the 2024 class, drawing interest from essentially every major program across the country.

Since arriving in Columbus, Smith has more than lived up to the hype. In just two seasons, he has already secured his place among Ohio State's all-time great receivers. His 2,558 receiving yards rank sixth in program history, just 310 yards shy of Emeka Egbuka's school record of 2,868. Smith also ranks fifth in both career receptions (163) and touchdown catches (27), putting him in elite company among the Buckeyes' legendary pass-catchers.

His combination of size, speed and precise route-running makes him a focal point of the Buckeyes' offense and a likely top-five selection in next year's 2027 NFL Draft.

Despite outside interest, Smith's focus never wavered.

"I was always going to be at Ohio State," Smith said.

Entering his junior season, Smith is focused on another 1,000?yard campaign and another national championship after helping the Buckeyes win a title as a true freshman in 2024. With quarterback Julian Sayin returning as a Heisman Trophy finalist and Smith poised as one of the nation's most dangerous playmakers yet again, Ohio State's offense looks as potent as ever. Sayin has +1200 odds to win the Heisman Trophy in 2026, according to FanDuel Sportsbook, with Smith not far behind at +1300 -- both among the top contenders in the country.

Those individual accolades feed into team expectations. Ohio State currently has the best national championship odds at +550 on FanDuel Sportsbook, a reflection of the depth and talent surrounding Smith and Sayin as they chase another title in Columbus.

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