"But somehow he wasn’t the freshman of the year": Fans call out media hypocrisy as Jeremiah Smith gets praised for Rose Bowl

College football fans have mixed feelings about ESPN's Dan Orlovsky's comments about Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith. On Wednesday, Smith's commanding performance helped the Buckeyes beat the No. 1 Oregon Ducks, 41-21, in the Rose Bowl.

On ESPN's "Get Up," Orlovsky praised the wide receiver and gave a hot take on his future.

Host Mike Greenberg asked Orlovsky where he thinks Smith would be picked in the 2025 NFL Draft if he were eligible. The analyst replied that he would have been the first pick. He also predicts that NFL teams will tank their season for the wide receiver for the 2027 NFL Draft.

"Number one pick. It wouldn't even be close. He would easily be the number-one pick in this year's draft. You will have teams in two years for that 27 draft, tanking for him," Orlovsky said (0:08 onwards).

Fans reacted to his comments on X/Twitter, with one fan believing that Smith should've been the Freshman of the Year.

"But some how he wasn't the freshman of the year (Colin Simmons) y'all dumb and I'll say it he's better than the Heisman and Biletnikoff winner Travis Hunter. But y'all dumb a** media can't have it both ways," a fan wrote.

"Tanking for a WR?" another fan wrote.

"Tanking for a wr. They don't even do it for a QB. Dan!!!! Come on with this one," a fan replied.

"Ain't no one tanking for a WR. Click bait," a fourth fan commented.

"I don't think this is an overreaction. The guy is an absolute monster. There are no remarkable prospects in this year's draft. If you were New England, why wouldn't you take this kid?," a fan wrote.

"I don't think it's an overreaction. Just depends on the QBs that year and what the teams need," another fan replied.

"He is Julio Jones": Dan Orlovsky shares who Jeremiah Smith reminds him of from the NFL

Smith finished Ohio State's (12-2, 7-2 Big Ten) victory over Oregon (13-1, 9-0) with seven receptions for 187 yards and two touchdowns.

Greenberg asked Orlovsky if teams would draft a wide receiver with the first pick, and Orlovsky said yes. The analyst compared the freshman player to NFL wide receiver Julio Jones.

"He's that good. He's that talented. He is Julio Jones. His hips look like they are in his armpits. I mean, he looks 6'5 just from his hips up down. He reminds me of Julio Jones," Orlovsky said (0:18 onwards). "His physical frame reminds me a little bit of Calvin Johnson. He would be easily the number one pick in this year's NFL draft."

Smith will be in action again when Ohio State faces the No. 5 Texas Longhorns (13-2, 7-1 Southeastern Conference) in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic on Jan. 10.