For OSU fans and analysts alike, Jeremiah Smith had a remarkable 2025 season. But personal accolades don’t define Smith. His receiving room, which comprised Carnell Tate and Brandon Inniss, was still the ‘worst’ in yards after the catch. It’s something that OSU’s predecessor, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, excelled in. Fortunately, the two got a chance to connect during the Buckeyes’ spring game.

Njigba was Ohio State’s victory bell ringer for the annual Scarlet and Gray game. But before he declared victory, Jeremiah Smith strapped on those OSU colors and, in full pads, stood beside him on the sidelines, possibly learning to improve that one ‘key’ metric. The now-Seahawks WR might have graciously instilled the wisdom. But when asked about Jeremiah’s talent, he indicated the junior already has all the tools.

“Man, he’s the best,” Njigba said. “He’s the best I’ve seen. Just a competitor, a winner at that. And his talent is through the roof, and his potential is through the roof. So it’s awesome to see him progress year by year. And I know his third year is going to be something… He’s an exciting player, he’s a winner, and it’s going to be great to see him, this year, flourish.”

After signing a historic 4-year, $168.6 million extension with the Seahawks in March, Jaxson Smith-Njigba became the highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL. That couldn’t have been possible without his OSU roots and the time he spent under Brian Hartline and Ryan Day.

JSN had a stellar 2021 season, as he recorded 1,606 receiving yards and surpassed David Boston for the single-season receiving record at Ohio State. Jeremiah Smith wasn’t at OSU when he was raking in those stellar catches or when he set OSU’s single-game receiving record in the 2022 Rose Bowl. JSN still influenced Smith indirectly, reinforcing his belief in OSU’s NFL pipeline. Two months after the Seahawks selected him 20th overall, Smith-Njigba announced Jeremiah as his successor at Ohio State.

In June 2023, Jeremiah Smith visited JSN at his NFL stomping ground and posted a picture, calling him “My boy.” It took no time for the Seahawks WR to respond. “Yeah… he’s next! Go Bucks,” replied JSN. By all accounts, Jeremiah has repaid that trust, helping OSU win the 2024 national title. In a sense, some might even call Smith-Njigba Jeremiah’s mentor.

“I wouldn’t say a mentor, but he knows anything he needs; he can always call me or text,” JSN said about the ‘mentor’ tag. “We definitely get together and talk some ball. Just super proud of him and him pushing the bar even further than what we did. It’s exciting times. It’s exciting times here.”

Jeremiah Smith is the undisputed leader in Ohio State’s wide receiver room this year after Carnell Tate departed for the NFL. He has a freshman sensation, Chris Henry Jr., to relay his wisdom and probably fuel his Jeremiah Smith-esque freshman season. Brandon Inniss is another veteran in the room looking to go big this year. Transfer players Devin McCuin and Kyle Parker will provide depth.

Jeremiah Smith aims to improve his ‘worst’ metric this year

Despite a talented receiver room, Smith isn’t satisfied. Go through any key WR metrics, and Jeremiah Smith’s name will stand proudly in the top 5. No wonder he was the unanimous All-American last year and won back-to-back All-Big Ten selections. But without trophies, personal accolades mean nothing for the OSU WR. Last year, OSU couldn’t win the Natty or the Big 10 title, and Smith thinks his unit’s poor yards-after-catch metric has a role in that.

“We were the worst team in yards after the catch last year,” Jeremiah Smith said. “We really had no guys who had juice when they had the ball in their hands. That’s something that you guys are gonna see from me a lot next year.”

When compared with Jaxson Smith-Njigba, Garrett Wilson, and Chris Olave’s 6.2 yards per catch in 2021, Smith’s unit’s number seems quite feeble. JSN alone contributed 790 yards after the catch for OSU in that season as OSU ranked 12th nationally in the metric. The former OSU WR’s ability to turn modest gains into explosive plays was also the prime reason why his NFL draft stock never slipped despite his 2022 season-ending injury. That’s precisely what Smith, who is on a mission this year, is likely trying to learn from JSN.