Ohio State EDGE Jack Sawyer makes thoughts about 5-star WR Jeremiah Smith clear

Ohio State Buckeyes five-star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith has been garnering a lot of hype as the No. 1 wide receiver and No. 1 overall player in the class of 2024, according to On3. His spring game performances inspired praise, with Fox Sports analyst Brady Quinn comparing his celebrity to that of NBA legend LeBron James.

Smith's Ohio State teammate, EDGE rusher Jack Sawyer, was full of praise for Smith during the Big Ten media days, highlighting his performances in training as proof of his talent.

“There’s a lot of things I could list,” Sawyer said. “That kid is just special, man. That’s the only word I can use to describe him. Having been in his shoes, meaning being a five-star recruit and having a lot of hype around him coming in, I was like, 'Man, I just want to see him practice a couple of times.' I don’t want him to feel like if he doesn’t play this year or if he doesn’t live up to the hype his freshman year then, you know, but then I saw him for the first time at the first practice. I was like, 'Holy sh*t, this kid’s good.'

“So, he’s a great young player. He’s got a great future ahead of him. He’s got a great head on his shoulders. So, whatever he gets he’s earned. He’s worked for. So, I’m super excited for him.”

Jeremiah Smith gets lofty praise from quarterback

Jeremiah Smith will have the pressure of being the heir apparent to departed wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. who dominated college football and was selected No. 4 overall in the 2024 NFL draft by the Arizona Cardinals.

Smith has generated a lot of hype with his talent. In the popular EA Sports College Football 25 game, Smith has an 84 overall rating, the highest among all freshmen.

His teammates cannot seem to stop gushing about his talents. At the Manning Passing Academy, Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard pointed out his obvious talent, grouping him with the team's seasoned veterans.

“Pretty unbelievable,” Howard said. “That true freshman, Jeremiah Smith, he’s gonna be special, man. Between him, Emeka [Egbuka], Carnell [Tate], those three are probably the featured guys.”

The pressure on Jeremiah Smith to perform during his first year will be massive after the lofty praise from his teammates and coaches and with the Buckeyes favored (+155) by FanDuel to win the Big Ten championship game.