Jeremiah Smith has already established himself as one of college football’s most exciting talents, but a comparison to NFL great Julio Jones takes the conversation to another level. Former NFL RB LeSean McCoy believes Smith is already good enough to play in the pros and is maybe even better than Jones.

“Julio was nice,” McCoy told the Bleacher Report on October 8. “The difference is I can see Julio’s body frame on Jeremiah, but he’s way more developed. He’s way more advanced.”

Julio Jones was one of the best wide receivers in Alabama’s history. He played a total of 40 games with the Crimson Tide. He caught 179 passes for 2,653 yards and 15 touchdowns. The former Tide WR is considered among the best WRs the college game has seen.

Jones was later picked with the sixth overall pick of the 2011 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons and went on to a successful run in the pros. Jones and Smith may share a similar body frame, but McCoy sees the Ohio State wide receiver as a better prospect.

He didn’t get into the exact metrics that make Jeremiah Smith stand out. However, since coming to Columbus in 2024, the wide receiver has gone from a talented freshman to a generational talent. That development can be seen in his route running, how he uses his speed, and his relentless production despite being the No. 1 target of every defense the Buckeyes face.

In just five games this season, Smith recorded 823 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. While doing so, he has been smashing records left, right, and center. He holds three receiving crowns at Ohio State. He leads the podium with All-Time Career Receiving Yards after surpassing Michael Jenkins. He smashed the record of 35 receiving touchdowns by Chris Olave by getting his 36th against Iowa. Emeka Egbuka was leading the All-Time Career Receptions record with 205; Smith broke that too, setting the record at 206.

“This is the greatest receiver I’ve ever laid eyes on,” McCoy said on the podcast. “He is the greatest wide receiver I’ve ever seen. Argue with your mama. Speed, size, hands. (Greatest) I’ve ever seen. And I’ve seen a lot of them.”

“If you listen to his interviews, he’s such a mature kid,” McCoy added. “I keep telling you this about always being great. He’s always great. Always. 

It’s not just McCoy who thinks that Urban Meyer has also publicly said the same. “He probably is the best receiver in college football history,” Meyer said on the Triple Option podcast.

While Smith won against Jones in comparison, he was also McCoy’s pick over Jaxon Smith-Njigba. For McCoy, JSN is elusive and agile. But in terms of size, Smith wins by a huge margin. While JSN is McCoy’s favorite NFL WR right now, his allegiance in the end still lies with Smith being the best. 

Jeremiah Smith as an NFL prospect

If all goes well, Smith might declare for the 2027 NFL draft by the end of this season. Scouts project him as the undisputed No. 1 wide receiver prospect. On top of that, he is also a legit contender for being the No. 1 overall pick in the 2027 NFL Draft. 

If he is drafted as the No. 1 pick, he will break yet another record. No team has selected a wide receiver as the first pick in the NFL Draft since Keyshawn Johnson in 1996. Draft experts like Nick Baumgardner from The Athletic have placed Smith as the projected No. 1 overall pick for the Dolphins in their 2027 mock drafts. 

“Quarterback obviously would be an option for the Dolphins in Round 1, as would a trade,” Baumgardner said on The Athletic. “But this idea shouldn’t be ruled out. Smith is truly one of the best wide receiver prospects of the past 25 years — possibly beyond.”

On the other hand, Todd McShay had Smith second overall with the Tennessee Titans, behind Arch Manning.