A performance like that from a true freshman could further boost receiver recruiting if that’s even possible.
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Jeremiah Smith gives the Buckeyes something they haven’t yet had under Ryan Day and Brian Hartline
A performance like that from a true freshman could further boost receiver recruiting if that’s even possible.
If you watched Saturday’s game, it’s likely you came away with the feeling that the hype surrounding true freshman Jeremiah Smith is more than warranted. An electric performance with six receptions for 92 yards and two touchdowns, that’s just the beginning of what will be a stellar season for the youngster.
If anything, Saturday could have even been better for Smith, who dropped his first pass that realistically looked like it could have gone for another score, but that’s just further proof to his ability that he can start a little sluggish and still finish with the numbers he did.
While you could speak to Smith’s stats ad nauseam, it’s the outside factors with recruiting that make the Week 1 performance that much more exciting for the program.
Since Brian Hartline has been at Ohio State, he has dominated in both the on-field development and recruiting with the guys he’s been able to bring in. A two-way street and strategy, it’s easier to develop the best players in the country at the position, but his constant track record of getting guys to the NFL cements him as the best receivers coach in the country.
Still, this past weekend showed something different for Hartline and Ohio State, and that’s watching a true freshman compete with the first-team offense and at that high of a level. Sure, the Buckeyes have played true freshmen before in games where they have a substantial lead, but seeing Smith start is an aspect the Buckeyes are now rolling out there for the first time in the Day era.
Guys like Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and Marvin Harrison Jr. are among the latest receivers to be drafted in the first round of the NFL Draft, but not one of them started their first game as a true freshman — Wilson started toward the end of the year. The argument of “who they had in front of them” can be played here, but Smith also has a bevy of receivers in front of him who have been in Columbus long before he arrived.
All of this to say that Smith starting as a true freshman and performing the way he did should help continue to have the Buckeyes recruiting receivers at an elite rate, and potentially even boost the stock of Hartline’s room more, if that’s even possible, knowing how well they’ve done already.
Prospective players taking notice of early playing time
Class of 2026 commit
Chris Henry Jr. was on campus this weekend to watch his future team. The No. 1 player in the country and top receiver per the 247Sports Composite, any time you have Henry Jr. back on campus it’s a good thing. Giving him the chance to see what he could do once at Ohio State has to go a long way in his mind after seeing what a freshman is capable of.
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