‘Nothing like him’: Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith a ‘generational talent’

• Jake Trotter, ESPN Elder WriterNov 1, 2024, 07:45 AM ET Close Jake Trotter covers college football for ESPN. He signed up with ESPN in 2011. Before that, he operated at The Oklahoman, Austin American-Statesman and Middletown (Ohio) Journal papers. You can follow him @Jake_Trotter.

Jack Daniels had never experienced a catch like it.The South Florida high school coach of 35 years was playing Chaminade-Madonna– and future Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith– in the playoffs.

“They were already up on us pretty good, and they had the running back toss the ball,” Daniels remembered. “And [Smith] increased– I believe he was about 5 feet over the goalpost over a kid that was a Power 4 corner [Kevin Levy, who is now at Rutgers]. It was just unbelievable.”

The Cardinal Newman coach has actually faced dozens of future NFL wide receivers throughout the years, including Pro Football Hall of Famer Devin Hester and Super Bowl champ Anquan Boldin.Yet to Daniels, Smith stands alone.”He is head and shoulders, by

far, the very best I have actually ever seen, “said Daniels, comparing Smith’s high school expertise to that of Baltimore Ravens MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson, who hailed from Boynton Beach Neighborhood High School. “There’s been absolutely nothing like him.” Editor’s Picks 2 Associated

Archbishop Carroll coach Jorge Zagales, who likewise lost to Chaminade in the playoffs, recalls just one opposing player over his three decades on the sidelines who might dominate like Smith.”I coached against Sean Taylor. … and Jeremiah is right there, if not the like Sean Taylor,”Zagales said of the former Pro Bowl safety from Gulliver Prep, who died at 24.”Sean Taylor most likely would’ve been a Hall of Famer. I feel that’s the way Jeremiah is headed.”Clearwater Central Catholic coach Chris Harvey grew up in West Virginia watching Randy Moss bet DuPont High School. As a coach, Harvey hadn’t come

throughout anybody like Moss– until he met Smith in the Florida state national championship.” You saw what [Moss] did to expert DBs, so envision what he did to DBs in West Virginia in high school,”Harvey stated

.”I enjoy my home state. But we’re not West Virginia in Florida. We have actually got men– and Jeremiah Smith made us look like the West Virginia high school DBs. “All of that might sound hyperbolic.Except 7 games into his freshman season at Ohio State, Smith– still simply 18 years of ages– is already among college football’s finest wide receivers, together with Alabama freshman phenom Ryan Williams and Colorado Heisman Prize competitor Travis Hunter.” His physical abilities(6-foot-3, 215 pounds) are type of matchless for someone at that age, however it’s his maturity level that has set him apart. There’s a great deal of guys that could get captured up in that buzz. You don’t see that out of him,”stated Ohio State offensive coordinator and previous NFL head coach Chip Kelly, who kept in mind that Smith carries on like a”10-year NFL veteran.”” How he approaches conferences, how he approaches practices, “Kelly stated,”it’s unusual.”In spite of playing on an Ohio State offense loaded with future pros, including running backs Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson, and preseason All-American wide receiver Emeka Egbuka, Smith leads the Buckeyes with 623 receiving backyards on 35 receptions. ESPN Recently, Smith connected Cris Carter’s Ohio State freshman record set in 1984 with his eighth goal catch, blowing by the Nebraska defense for a 60-yard score.On Saturday, in a Huge Tenface-off against third-ranked Penn State, Smith needs just 7 receptions and 26 getting backyards to break Carter’s other freshman program records, though he’s still well behind

Michael Crabtree’s nationwide freshman getting records at Texas Tech in 2007 (134 catches for 1,962 lawns and 22 goals). Smith has actually reached completion zone in every game this season, highlighted by his stunning one-handed touchdown grabs against Michigan State and Iowa.TWO UNBELIEVEABLE ONE-HANDED CATCHES BY JEREMIAH SMITH THEY CAN’T SAFEGUARDED HIM pic.twitter.com/vGUUs6rn41!.?.!— SportsCenter(@SportsCenter) September 29, 2024 To those who faced Smith in high school, those incredible catches are absolutely nothing new.In their state national championship, Harvey assumed Chaminade quarterback CJ Bailey was throwing

the ball away.”Then from nowhere comes this arm,”Harvey stated. “And

[ Smith] pulls it back in for a goal, like Stretch Armstrong. It was absolutely among the very best catches I’ve ever seen. But the thing about it is, he does that so typically, he doesn’t even get delighted about it.”Harvey and Clearwater Catholic lost the previous two state championship games to Chaminade by a combined

score of 104-14. Smith caught 11 passes for 170 yards in the second title match en route to a 56-0 success for Chaminade’s third state championship in a row.Afterward, South Florida University coach Alex Golesh, who remained in attendance, consoled Harvey, telling him,”That’s just what happens when you

‘re playing a generational skill.” “Which’s what he is,”Harvey said.”And beyond Randy Moss, I have actually never ever seen an individual have the ability to take over a game at that position the way he did.” Smith didn’t reach that level by accident.North Carolina running back Davion Gause, who grew up with Smith and played with him at Chaminade, remembered Smith being cut from their youth football group 11 years earlier. “He still concerned the park every day and enjoyed us practice, playing catch with his daddy the entire time,” Gause stated. “When he returned the next year, he was a different player.” Jeremiah Smith is

currently turning heads as a freshman at Ohio State. Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire Bailey, who used a different youth group, kept in mind Smith controling in the championship game that following year.”He was killing us,”said Bailey, now NC State’s starting quarterback.Bailey, Gause and Smith later on joined forces at Chaminade, forming one of the country’s leading high school teams. Chaminade coach Dameon Jones said he ‘d had not had a player more dedicated who worked harder in practice than Smith.”His mindset, the method it is to be so young, is insane,” said Jones, who coached Miami Dolphins quarterback Tyler Huntley and Cincinnati

Bengals running back Zack Moss.”I’ve simply never ever seen it previously. … He’s the overall package.”As a junior, Smith was hampered by a hip flexor injury. Jones pleaded with Smith to take off a number of practices to enable the hip to heal.”He got pissed at me, “Jones stated. “He informed me,’I’m not missing practice. I’m not missing reps.'”Smith brought that work principles to Columbus. This summer season, he ended up being Ohio State’s first freshman to be named an”Iron Buckeye, “given to the top entertainers in offseason exercises.”Jeremiah is currently a freak in the weight space,” said Egbuka, who likewise made the honor.The one-handed catches, nevertheless, have actually been what have set Smith apart this season.After Odell Beckham Jr. made his

well-known one-handed touchdown snag for the New York Giants in 2014, Gause kept in mind Smith toiling constantly attempting to re-create it.Later at Chaminade,

Smith and teammate Joshisa Trader, who’s now a receiver at Miami, dealt with their one-handed catches with the container machines daily. Jones would get inflamed when players would attempt to capture with one hand in games. However after viewing how rigorously Smith practiced them, Jones needed to relent.”The things y’ all are seeing right

now in college with them one-handed catches,” Bailey said, “I have actually seen method, method crazier things from him.”Among those one-handed catches came throughout a triumph over Miami Central on ESPN.

“[ He] would simply eliminate other defenses, “stated Pitt protective end Zachary Crothers, who also played for Chaminade. “You might tell defenses were scared.

They did not want to be out there.”Bailey understood Smith would be unique during their first 7-on-7 competition together; Smith at first had dipped into Monsignor Edward Rate before transferring to Chaminade as a sophomore. The Lions were down a rating, and time was going out.”We got a play called,”Bailey said.”This is a clutch minute

. However [Smith] approaches the [offensive planner] and says,’I want a fade.’

Coach says,’All right, let him run a fade.'”Bailey lofted the ball to Smith, who brought the pass down over the defender for a touchdown. Chaminade then chose two to win the game.”And we never ever lost a 7-on-7 tournament,”Bailey said.” With him, I have actually seen it all.”Regardless of ending up being the No. 1-ranked high school receiver in the country,

Smith only asked Jones for the ball one time.An opposing defensive back from American Heritage kept talking garbage to Smith throughout among Chaminade’s few securely objected to games. “So we tossed [Smith] a bomb, and he captured a touchdown over him, “Jones stated.” The something about JJ, he’s quiet, he’s simple. But he’s likewise got that dog mindset within him.”Smith has kept that very same mentality in college. Over the past 3 years, the Buckeyes have actually produced

4 first-round draft picks at receiver in Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Marvin Harrison Jr.This spring, the Arizona Cardinals selected Harrison with the No. 4 choice, making him the highest-drafted receiver in Ohio State history. But Smith-Njigba says he thinks Smith might ultimately go higher than any of them– though he will not be qualified up until the 2027 draft

.” He could play one year of college and be all set for the league,”Smith-Njigba stated.”I don’t believe I have actually ever seen a receiver that young like him.

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