Ohio State confirmed that wide receiver Jeremiah Smith received contact from other programs this offseason despite never entering the transfer portal.
Smith, who’s completing his sophomore season, told local reporters that one unnamed program pursued him after the Cotton Bowl. The Miami native wouldn’t identify the school but suggested it was obvious to those following his recruitment.
“I knew especially at the end of (the Cotton Bowl) that a certain program was going to come at me very hard,” Smith said. “Not gonna say no names, I think everybody here knows who it was. But I wasn’t goin’ nowhere.”
The comments highlight ongoing tampering issues across college football.
Smith’s situation points to Miami as the likely suitor. He’s from South Florida and might have joined the Hurricanes out of high school if their recent resurgence had started earlier.
Instead, the receiver chose Ohio State’s program.
The Buckeyes have established themselves as one of the top destinations for wide receiver development. Smith has flourished in their system over two seasons.
“I knew especially at the end of (the Cotton Bowl) that a certain program was going to come at me very hard. Not gonna say no names, I think everybody here knows who it was. But I wasn’t goin’ nowhere.”
Smith is projected as a top receiver in the 2027 NFL Draft after his junior season. His combination of size and route-running ability has made him one of college football’s most productive players.
The receiver has one season of eligibility remaining before likely declaring for the NFL.
His comments came during interviews with local Ohio State beat reporters this week. The timing suggests contact occurred immediately after the Buckeyes’ bowl game appearance.
Ohio State’s wide receiver room continues to attract top talent nationally. Smith’s decision to stay reinforces the program’s reputation for developing NFL-ready players at the position.
