In 2019, Ja’Marr Chase cemented that NFL greatness was imminent when he won the Biletnikoff Award for his breakout year as a wide receiver. But he wants Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith, who idolizes him, to reach higher stardom and win the biggest laurel in college football. For many, the Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver’s career is the standard to surpass, and Smith is determined to do that.
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Smith was a freshman when the Buckeyes won their national championship in 2024. He’s been an incomparable piece to Ryan Day’s offense since. While he sees a likeness between with Chase, the NFL WR’s advice to Smith is simple: cling to your individuality, enjoy the sport they both love, and aim for nothing short of the Heisman Trophy.
“As long as he plays comfortable, has fun; enjoy it, man,” Chase told Annie Agar on the “Chasing No. 1” podcast on Thursday. “NFL’s not for long, so just enjoy the process, enjoy college. Win the Heisman, that’s your big goal.”
Agar had asked Chase if he was okay with Smith comparing himself to him and Calvin ‘Megatron’ Johnson, and the Bengals WR was all for it. In response, he shared what his father once told him.
“My dad just said this to me the other day: everybody’s different in our own way,” said Chase. “We are taking each other’s tendencies and making them our own and adding it to us. That’s how we grew up, watching our favorite idols and stuff like that. So, I mean, if he is, then I don’t have a problem with it.”
Chase, who signed a four-year, $161 million extension with the Bengals in March 2025, shared that his success and NFL greatness were imminent because he forgot who he essentially was. In his 2019 college championship run, the former LSU star set the SEC’s and the school’s single-season record. He amassed 1,780 receiving yards and 20 receiving touchdowns on 84 catches.
He then took the following year off to prioritize an NFL career and was picked fifth overall in 2021. The Bengals signed him to a four-year, $30.8 million contract. Five years in, his LSU record remains an unbroken, monumental feat. But Smith is closing in.
Last year, he caught 87 receptions for 1,243 yards and 12 touchdowns. If he persists hard enough, Smith will be the one to look his idol in the eyes and match his stature.
For Smith and the Buckeyes, Chase’s advice couldn’t have come at a better time. Their second-week loss to Texas was unforeseen and heartbreaking. Texas pulled off a historic upset, outscoring the Buckeyes 21-0 in the fourth quarter.
The Buckeyes were leading 23-3 before Smith, and the offense took a back seat so the defense could take over. All Smith could do was watch helplessly as the Longhorns won 24-23, and this loss has changed something in Smith.
Ryan Day Hypes Jeremiah Smith’s OSU legacy
The bitter loss against Texas fueled Jeremiah Smith’s competitiveness, but more than that, what transpired in the days after it showed he is emerging as a leader who takes initiative. Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day revealed what he thinks of the wide receiver after Week 2 as they navigate the season cautiously.
“He wants to win in the worst way this year, and he wants to reach our goals,” Day said on his Thursday radio show on September 17. “He does not like to lose. I can tell you that right now. … He got back to work this week and was a leader for us and will continue to be this season.”
Rather than passing the blame around, Smith has put his head into the work ahead. Day praised his grit, which, to him, will be talked about for years to come.
“Special in a lot of different ways, and he goes so hard all the time. We just have to recognize that while he’s here, we have something special here,” Day added. “He will leave a great legacy behind at Ohio State.”
Chase’s rise from LSU stardom to multimillion NFL success is a case study of consistency and discipline. One could say that Smith is another Chase in the making, but as the older player said, they are their own people who must enjoy their journeys.