Jeremiah Smith, the Ohio State wide receiver, has been ranked the No. 1 pass catcher in college football entering the 2026 season by ESPN, according to a report.. smith leads the FBS with 2,258 receiving yards and 27 touchdowns since the start of the 2024 season and is on pace to break multiple Buckeyes career records. The ranking reflects near-universal praise from scouts and front-office personnel, as the source noted.

Jeremiah Smith's 2,258 yards and 27 touchdowns since 2024

Those numbers place Smith atop the FBS in receiving yards and touchdowns over the past two seasons, a span that includes the latter part of the 2024 campaign and the full 2025 season.. As the report states, Smith's consistency and explosiveness have earned him the top spot among wide receivers heading into the 2026 season. The statistical output alone would make him a candidate for the Biletnikoff Award, though the article does not mention whether he has received any formal honors yet.

Four Ohio State offensive linemen named preseason All-Big Ten

Smith's individual success is bolstered by a strong supporting cast. The report notes that four Ohio State offensive linemen earned preseason All-Big Ten recognition, a unit expected to be dominant in the 2026 season. This offensive-line stability gives Smith more time to work downfield and allows the Buckeyes to execute a balanced attack, which could further inflate his counting stats.

The unnamed rivals behind Smith's No. 1 ranking

The source does not identify the other wide receivers considered for the top spot or the specific criteeria used by the Worldwide Leader in its evaluation. without that list, readers cannot gauge how close the competition was or which metrics the analysts weighted most heavily. It remains unclear, for instance, whether Smith's postseason performances or bowl-game statistics factored into the ranking, and whether any other receiver challenged him for the No. 1 position.

What career records are truly within reach at Ohio State

The report says Smith is on pace to break Ohio State's career records in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns, but it does not provide the exact numbers needed to surpass them. Current records held by David Boston, Michael Thomas, and others are not enumerated, leaving fans uncertain how many more games of similar production Smith would require. The source also does not mention whether Smith's pace accounts for a potential early departure to the NFL draft, which could truncate his window to set those marks.