Ex-Ohio State Guard Jimmy Sotos Makes Jeremiah Smith Heisman Prediction

Former Ohio State standout guard thinks Jeremiah Smith is winning 2026 Heisman Trophy.

Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) takes the field for football training camp inside the Woody Hayes Athletic Center in Columbus on Aug. 7, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

We are less than three weeks away from the start of the Ohio State Buckeyes season home opener against Ball State on September 5th, and the AP Top 25 just dropped. 

The Buckeyes have secured the number one spot and fellow Big Ten Conference Rival, the Oregon Ducks are ranked right behind them with the University of Georgia, Notre Dame, and The University of Texas rounding out the top five.

The big news, of course, is the Big Ten being ranked one and two in the preseason for the first time since 1987, according to Ralph D. Russo of The Athletic.

As the season quickly approaches there are high expectations for the Ohio State Buckeyes to reach the National Championship this season, but also Heisman predications for both wide receiver Jeremiah Smith and Julian Sayin.

Smith also enters his junior year just needing 43 catches, 341 yards, and 9 touchdowns to break the all-time career receiving records for the Buckeyes, according to abc6onyourside.com.

“He has a chance to leave a legacy behind. He knows that. He has a whole generation of young players who look up to him and who he is. He's a household name and had a great offseason. He's taken the step into a leadership role, and it's great to watch him find his voice,” said Ryan Day at Big Ten Media Day.

Recently former Ohio State guard Jimmy Sotos, after participating in the Big 3 Celebrity All-Star Game in Dallas, weighed in on both Smith and Sayin. Sharing that Smith is going to win the Heisman, Sayin is going to have a breakout season, and Ohio State is going to reclaim their position at the top of college football.

“Jeremiah Smith's gonna win the Heisman. Julian Sayin — if there's a breakout player of the year, it's going to be him,” said Sotos.

 “And the Buckeyes are going to reclaim our position atop the mantle.”

In an interview with Stephen Means of Cleveland.com, Smith made it clear that he wants to win both the Biletnikoff award, which is rewarded to the nation’s top wide receiver and the Heisman giving to the best player in college football.

"Biletnikoff and Heisman," Smith said. "I know Heisman; I gotta do something pretty crazy to win that. Hopefully that happens. But the Biletnikoff is the biggest thing I really want."

"With the Heisman, if it comes, it comes. I know it really comes down to quarterbacks. So I gotta have an outstanding season where they can't deny me."

As for Sayin, he along with Smith were named to the Preseason All-American team, according to ohiostatebuckeyes.com. They are also on the Maxwell Preseason Watch List.

Julian Sayin started all 14 games for the Buckeyes a season ago, leading them to a 12-0 regular -season record; however, they would fall to Indiana in the Big Ten Championship Game and to the University of Miami in the Cotton Bowl. Those two teams would face off against each other in the National Championship, and the Hoosiers would win it all.