Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith has turned this season into a highlight reel. Explosive catches, big yardage totals, and many records have made him one of the most watched players in college football. That kind of run raises an obvious question about what comes next. 

ESPN analyst Field Yates just answered with a projection that sends Smith to the Los Angeles Chargers with the first overall pick in the 2027 NFL Draft. SportsCenter NEXT shared Yates’ early look at the top 10 of that draft on Instagram. 

Yates has the Chargers selecting the Ohio State wide receiver first. The idea is unique because teams almost always lean toward a quarterback with the opening selection. Wide receivers have gone No. 1 only a handful of times in NFL history. 

The Chargers sit at 0-6 right now. That record has them near the top of most projected draft orders. No receiver ranks in the top 50 in receiving yards per game, and the team sits near the bottom in yards after the catch. Justin Herbert needs a true No. 1 weapon who can stretch the field, and Smith’s skill set lines up with that gap.

Smith is listed around 6-foot-4 and 222 pounds. Analysts see him as a plug-and-play piece rather than a project. Pairing that kind of talent with Herbert draws comparisons to how Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase lifted the Bengals’ offense. However, no pure wide receiver has gone first overall since Keyshawn Johnson went first overall in 1996.

ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. has Smith locked in at the top of his big board. “I think that’s pretty much locked in,” Kiper said when Yates asked whether Smith would stay at No. 1. “You write that in pen. He’s a great player. We’ve seen it since the freshman year where we would have probably had him in our top three to five overall big board, maybe a little higher. So we’ve been waiting for this moment this year,” the analyst added. 

The Chargers hold around an 18% chance of securing the first pick in one mid-October projection, with about 67% odds of a top-five selection and 91% of landing in the top 10. Other struggling teams could still finish worse. The bigger question is whether Smith’s production keeps him ahead of the quarterback prospects. 

Ohio State sits at 6-1 overall and 4-0 in the Big Ten, ranked near the top of the national polls. Through seven games, Smith has 52 catches for 984 yards and 12 touchdowns, averaging 18.9 yards per reception. PFF grades have sat around 93. 

Smith has already passed Ohio State’s previous career marks in receptions, yards, and touchdowns, moving past names like Emeka Egbuka, Michael Jenkins, and Chris Olave.

Smith is currently leading for the 2026 Heisman Trophy. Sportsbook odds sit between -105 and -145, with prediction markets around 41 to 43%. However, wide receivers rarely win the award. Johnny Rodgers in 1972, Tim Brown in 1987, Desmond Howard in 1991, and DeVonta Smith in 2020 stand as the notable pure receiver winners. 

Travis Hunter took the trophy in 2024 as a two-way player. Smith’s volume and Ohio State’s national profile keep him ahead of challengers like Darian Mensah, Trinidad Chambliss, and others, including Malachi Toney and CJ Carr. The race is still open with games left.

Julian Sayin’s injury could be a concern for both Ohio State and Smith. The Ohio State quarterback hurt his throwing arm in the 19-15 win over Indiana and is expected to miss time. A backup, whether Luke Fahey or Tavien St. Clair, could change target share and efficiency. That uncertainty touches both the Heisman race and the remaining chances to build his draft case.

Positional value remains the clearest obstacle to a No. 1 selection. Only three pure wide receivers have gone first overall. Dave Parks to San Francisco in 1964, Irving Fryar to New England in 1984, and Keyshawn Johnson to the Jets in 1996.

Other landing spots stay in play. The Titans could pair him with their quarterback situation if they hold a high pick. The Dolphins have a hometown connection since Smith is from the Miami area, though their quarterback needs might push them toward a passer or a trade down.