Ohio State football is an incubator for star wide receivers. Regardless of who is manning the sidelines, the program just has a knack for discovering and developing upper-echelon pass-catchers. Few have garnered the attention that Jeremiah Smith has, however. Yes, Marvin Harrison Jr. was dubbed a prodigy fairly early on in his Buckeyes tenure, but being the son of an all-time great NFL WR certainly helps. Smith's meteoric rise and sustained star power is truly remarkable.

Seattle Seahawks game-breaker Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ohio State's single-season receiving yards leader, made a lofty comparison when describing the burden that No. 4 consistently carries.

“We've seen great talents coming through Ohio State, the Chris Olaves, the Chris Carters, the Garrett Wilsons, {but} we really haven't seen a guy like Jeremiah Smith,” the reigning Offensive Player of the Year told Russell Wilson and Kyle Long on the “Set, Hut!” podcast. “He's like the LeBron James [of Ohio State
WRs]… the pressure is on him, but he seems to respond week after week and handle it with class and maturity.

“He been puttin' on for us, we like to say we are Wide Receiver U, and I think he's definitely going to stamp that.”

"He's like the LeBron James [of @OhioStateFB WRs]… the pressure is on him, but he seems to respond week after week and handle it with class and maturity." 🔥@jaxon_smith1 has HIGH praise for @Jermiah_Smith1 pic.twitter.com/NeTv89lsMy

— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) September 29, 2026

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People tend to roll their eyes when a college athlete draws comparisons to an icon like James, but Smith-Njigba is making a sound argument. Jeremiah Smith arrived in Columbus as a sensation with massive expectations to meet. The 6-foot-3 junior has lived up to the hype, helping Ohio State win a national championship as a true freshman and earning unanimous All-American honors last season.

Smith is hoping to end his illustrious college career with a Fred Biletnikoff Award, and, of course, another title. He is already the school's all-time receiving yards leader at 3, 175, and with 196 catches and 34 touchdowns, he will soon have the Buckeyes' Triple Crown. This exceptional athlete could force teams to reconsider their quarterback needs and select him No. 1 overall in the 2027 NFL Draft, a feat that only three other WRs has achieved.

Like LeBron James, Smith has been anointed a legend before even declaring professional. Can he handle such pressure? So far, so good.