Five-Star Plus+ WR Jeremiah Smith signs with Ohio State

Hollywood (Fla.) Chaminade-Madonna Five-Star Plus+ wide receiver Jeremiah Smith has signed with Ohio State.

Smith announced at 12:30 p.m. ET on National Signing Day that he was sticking with the Buckeyes after Miami pushed hard to flip Smith down the stretch.

On3 Director of Recruiting Chad Simmons said that Miami remained in contact with Smith throughout the rest of the day, and the announcement from Ohio State that Smith had signed his National Letter of Intent did not come until 10 p.m. ET.

The 6-foot-3, 200-pound Smith is the No. 1 overall prospect in the 2024 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

The cousin of NFL quarterback Geno Smith, Jeremiah committed to the Buckeyes on Dec. 14, 2022. The likes of Florida, Florida State and Miami continuously tried to flip the Sunshine State product, but he never wavered in his pledge and is now set to head to Columbus.

“What stood out to me the most was brotherhood and I could see it,” Smith told On3 of Ohio State. “It was obvious from the start with the players, with the coaches, and how they ran practice. I knew that there was no place like it and it was special, and it was a great opportunity I couldn’t miss out on.”

Smith has an On3 NIL Valuation of $512K. The On3 NIL Valuation is the industry’s leading index that sets high school and college athletes’ projected annual value (PAV). The NIL valuation does not act as a tracker of the value of NIL deals an athlete has completed to date. It rather signifies an athlete’s value at a certain moment in time.

Jeremiah Smith Scouting Summary

On3 Director of Scouting and Rankings Charles Power writes this about him as a prospect:

“One of the more talented and well-rounded receiver prospects in recent cycles. The highest-rated wide receiver prospect from Florida in well over a decade. A big, skilled receiver with fluidity and savvy for the position. Measured in at 6-foot-3 and around 200 pounds with a 32.5-inch arm prior to his senior season. Had a breakout junior season, catching 58 passes for 1,073 yards and 20 touchdowns while leading Chaminade-Madonna to a state title. A very polished route-runner at this stage with rare ability to change directions at his size. Smooth mover with technical refinement that allows for separation. Regularly stacks cornerbacks off the line. Pairs his route-running ability with advanced ball skills. Has strong hands and comes down with catches in traffic.

…A high-level ball tracker with the ability to locate the football over his shoulder. Capable of making fantastic one-handed grabs. Also flashes ability after the catch. Has the size to run through contact and a long stride to pull away in the open field. Also a strong track athlete winning state titles in the 110 meter and 400 meter hurdles as a junior. An extremely well-rounded prospect with a high floor and ceiling. Looks like a prototypical X wide receiver prospect with considerable traits and skills that point to an upside as a high draft pick.”