Dan Orlovsky Unveils Prediction About Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith for '27 NFL Draft

The ESPN football analyst made it known just how good he believes Smith is as an NFL prospect.

Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith's standout Rose Bowl performance caught the eye of ESPN's Dan Orlovsky. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Ohio State true freshman wide receiver Jeremiah Smith is the best wide receiver in college football, and it's not particularly close.

Smith has starred for Ohio State's offense this season, catching 70 passes for 1,224 yards and 14 touchdowns in his first year of college football. So when Smith erupted for seven catches for 187 yards and two touchdowns in the Buckeyes' rout of Oregon in the Rose Bowl on Wednesday, it shouldn't have surprised many.

ESPN's Dan Orlovsky was blown away from yet another standout performance from Smith, and made a bold claim about how franchises should value him as a prospect when he's draft eligible come 2027.

"No. 1 pick," Orlovsky said when asked where he would be drafted if he could enter the NFL this season. "Wouldn't even be close. He would easily be the No. 1 pick in the draft. You will have teams in two years for that '27 draft tanking for him."

When Mike Greenberg asked if a team would tank for a wide receiver, Orlovsky doubled down.

"Absolutely. He's that good. He's that talented. He's Julio Jones."

Dan Orlovsky on Ohio State freshman WR Jeremiah Smith: "He would easily be the No. 1 pick in this year's draft. You will have teams in two years, for that '27 draft, tanking for him."

Mike Greenberg: "For a wide receiver?"

Orlovsky: "Absolutely. He's that good." pic.twitter.com/MTaNggcPfQ

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 2, 2025

Smith is unbelievable, and his continued dominance is a big reason why Ohio State finds itself one game away from a national title appearance.

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