Ohio State Freshman Star Receives Massive NFL Comparison

Ohio State Buckeyes star freshman receiver Jeremiah Smith has received a massive NFL comparison.

Oct 5, 2024; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) runs off the field after beating Iowa Hawkeyes after the NCAA football game at Ohio Stadium. / Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Jeremiah Smith has taken the college football world by storm during his freshman season with the Ohio State Buckeyes. He has lived up to the expectations and then some.

Not only has he been good right off the bat, he has been an absolute superstar.

So far this season in five games, Smith has caught 23 passes for 453 yards and six touchdowns. On his current pace, he could end up going down as the best wide receiver in Ohio State history.

That being said, Smith has now received a massive NFL comparison as well.

Recently, ESPN analyst Greg McElroy did not hold back when talking about Smith. He compared him to longtime NFL superstar Julio Jones.

“This guy comes in with all sort of fanfare. He reminds me very much of a guy like Julio Jones. Just big, physical, looks the part. He looks like he’s 28 years old when he’s just 18 or 19. But he’s not really at this point, giving up any physical limitations to anyone he’s played against.”

McElroy added that fans and the media will find out a lot more about Smith as the season moves forward. The Buckeyes are about to face off against some of the elite teams around the nation in Oregon and Penn State.

“We’re going to find out more about this young man. But he’s off to a great start here in his first few weeks as a Buckeye.”

Standing in at 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, Smith has great strength, size, and speed. He's an elite route-runner and has shown no weaknesses to his game so far. The big-play ability that he brings to the field have been eye-opening.

Each and every week, it seems that Smith put out two or three major highlight plays. He has become a legitimate go-to number one wide receiver already for Will Howard and the Ohio State offense.

All of that being said, it will be very interesting to see how he plays against Oregon this week. If he can put together another big performance, he'll start earning even more praise and hype.

For now, a comparison to Jones is major praise in and of itself. His future could not be more bright than it current is and it's clear that the Buckeyes have yet another superstar wideout and future NFL player on their hands.