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ScriptOhio
Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.
Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith headlines 10 highly-ranked college football recruits quickly meeting the hype
While most practice reports are centered around veterans and offseason additions via the transfer portal, there are still plenty of youngsters that made splashes in one way or another.
Spring football practices around the country wrap up this weekend. While most practice reports are centered around veterans and offseason additions via the transfer portal, there are still plenty of youngsters that made splashes in one way or another.
Last year, it was five-star safety Caleb Downs who broke through at Alabama during the spring months. His remarkable freshman season might have come as a surprise to some, but not to those that had been scouting and evaluating him since his days in high school. The same goes for other instant impact blue-chip recruits like Alabama offensive tackle Kaydn Proctor, Texas linebacker Anthony Hill and Miami offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa.
So, whose ranking are we feeling good about coming out of spring practices? Below, we highlight ten freshmen that lived up to the hype. The group includes nine true freshmen along with one very famous redshirt freshman.
Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith
We had little concern at 247Sports about ranking Jeremiah Smith as our No. 1 overall prospect in the class of 2024 after a dominant senior season, but we're sleeping a little bit better after seeing all the footage out of Ohio State.Smith became the fastest player ever to lose their black stripe with the Buckeyes and was recognized as an "official member" of the team after just four spring practices. Ohio State has recruited and developed wide receivers at an astonishing level in recent years under the direction of assistant Brian Hartline. None created the buzz Smith has, especially this early.
It's rare for a wide receiver that has yet to play in a collegiate game to draw so much hype, but Smith absolutely deserves the attention. He's got ready-to-play size to go along with top-flight athleticism and an advanced feel for the position. The kicker? He's only going to get more polished with his pro-like mindset. Smith has been one of college football's stories of the spring. His father, Chris, is not surprised.
"He's very, very ready," Chris told 247Sports. "He's been ready since he was 9."
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ScriptOhio
Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.
Can Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith, No. 1 recruit in 2024, set new standard for freshman receivers?
The company Smith will try to keep in 2024 includes names like Julio Jones, A.J. Green and Sammy Watkins
College football recruiting has vastly changed over the years, but one of the constants that's remained is the weight of expectations on five-star recruits. The higher a recruit is ranked, the higher the expectations are that they'll immediately become a difference-maker for their team -- and perhaps leave conference championships and College Football Playoff appearances in their wake.In the Class of 2024 there's nobody that has higher expectations than Ohio State freshman Jeremiah Smith. The 6-foot-3, 200 pound star out of Chaminade-Madonna Prep in Opa Locka, Florida, led his team to a perfect 14-0 record and a third consecutive state title and put up insane numbers while doing so: 88 receptions for 1,376 yards and 19 touchdowns in 2023. The Buckeye signee became the first wide receiver to be ranked as the No. 1 overall recruit in the Top247 rankings since 247Sports started them in 2010. He is every bit the generational prospect.
"He's got ready-to-play size to go along with top-flight athleticism and an advanced feel for the position," says 247Sports Director of Scouting Andrew Ivins, who compares Smith to Julio Jones. "And he's got a pro-like mindset."
Prior to 2024, there'd been 12 receivers ranked in the top 10 overall players in the Top247 rankings. Dorial Green-Beckham had been the highest ranked Top247 wideout recruit when he signed with Missouri back in 2012 as the No. 2 ranked recruit in the nation.
To try and set a reasonable expectation for what Smith's numbers could look like in 2024, we studied past freshmen performances of receivers who ranked as top-10 prospects. Some put up monster numbers as soon as they got on campus and others failed to have an instant impact.
| Highest-ranked WRs in Top247 (Since 2010) | |||
| Class | Player | School | Top247 Rank |
| 2024 | Jeremiah Smith | Ohio State | 1st |
| 2012 | Dorial Green-Beckham | Missouri | 2nd |
| 2010 | Robert Woods | USC | 2nd |
| 2020 | Julian Fleming | Ohio State | 4th |
| 2014 | Speedy Noil | Texas A&M | 6th |
| 2022 | Evan Stewart | Texas A&M | 6th |
| 2018 | Justin Shorter | Penn State | 7th |
| 2023 | Zachariah Branch | USC | 7th |
| 2010 | Mike Davis | Texas | 8th |
| 2011 | Sammy Watkins | Clemson | 9th |
| 2021 | Emeka Egbuka | Ohio State | 9th |
| 2018 | Amon-Ra St. Brown | USC | 10th |
| 2012 | Stefon Diggs | Maryland | 10th |
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ScriptOhio
Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.
College football recruiting: Ranking 24 must-watch true freshmen during the 2024 season
Team intel suggests this group of first-year players will dominate college football this fall.
1. JEREMIAH SMITH, WR, OHIO STATE
247Sports recruiting ranking: No. 1 overall, No. 1 WR
Jeremiah Smith isn't the first heralded five-star freshman wideout to jump off the page early at Ohio State and certainly won't be the last, but the buzz surrounding the top player in the 2024 recruiting cycle mirrors the sound of twin F-18s streaking through the air over Columbus. Smith showed up with a body that looked like he was ready for Ohio State's Pro Day, not his first collegiate practice. His wide range of skills were on display throughout spring against a secondary that was among college football's stingiest last fall. Smith's ready to be an impact player from Day 1 when Ohio State opens the season.
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College football recruiting: Ranking 24 must-watch true freshmen during the 2024 season
Team intel suggests this group of first-year players will dominate college football this fall.
1. JEREMIAH SMITH, WR, OHIO STATE
247Sports recruiting ranking: No. 1 overall, No. 1 WR
Jeremiah Smith isn't the first heralded five-star freshman wideout to jump off the page early at Ohio State and certainly won't be the last, but the buzz surrounding the top player in the 2024 recruiting cycle mirrors the sound of twin F-18s streaking through the air over Columbus. Smith showed up with a body that looked like he was ready for Ohio State's Pro Day, not his first collegiate practice. His wide range of skills were on display throughout spring against a secondary that was among college football's stingiest last fall. Smith's ready to be an impact player from Day 1 when Ohio State opens the season.
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BuckBackHome
Wolverine is largest member of weasel family
He makes the other player look like a kicker.
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That other player was also a 5star WR(and CB), Jojo Trader, who almost was also a Buckeye. But chose the hometown Canes instead
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