Ex-Ohio State star sends stern warning to Jeremiah Smith on NFL dreams

Jeremiah Smith had a standout freshman season for the Ohio State Buckeyes. His contributions allowed the team to win the national championship this season, and as he is only a freshman, he could potentially bring them a few more titles.

It then comes as no surprise that he has already been linked with the NFL. Smith is currently ineligible for the NFL, being a freshman, but there is still a lot of hype surrounding the player.

However, former Buckeye Maurice Clarett believes that Smith should not try to aim for the NFL at the moment and focus on college football.

"I wouldn't advise him to try to challenge (the NFL), push or do anything I tried to do. You'll be able to make money there. Just enjoy it all, man."

Maurice Clarett was in a similar position to what Jeremiah Smith is in today. Clarett was a running back, and in his freshman year, he played a role in the Buckeyes' undefeated season, which ended in a national championship win.

However, due to numerous off-field scandals, he was suspended and then removed from the Buckeyes. Instead of trying to find a new college to play for, Clarett attempted to enter the 2004 NFL draft.

This was something that he could not do due to the rules stating that a player must be three years removed from high school before he can enter the NFL.

This means that assuming a player goes directly from high school to college, they can not enter the NFL until their junior season. This is different from the NBA, which did allow players to go straight to the association from high school, but now requires at least one year of college before they can enter.

Clarett tried to challenge this rule to allow him to enter the draft, but his attempt was unsuccessful.

Jeremiah Smith doesn't need to do what Clarett did

Clarett thinks that Jeremiah Smith should "enjoy" his time in college. There are many reasons why Smith's time with the Buckeyes is going to be more enjoyable than Clarett's was (before his suspension).

One main reason for this is the NIL, which allows Smith to make money, something that Clarett and many college athletes before him were unable to do until they turned professional.

According to On3.com, Smith's NIL deals are worth $4 million. This includes deals with brands like Red Bull and Nintendo. That is around the value of the 4th/5th round NFL draft picks' rookie contract.

Money is something that Smith doesn't need to worry about. This will allow him to focus solely on football, making sure Ohio State are in the running for another National Championship next season.