The Kansas City Chiefs season opener is still a few days away, but they already have their eyes set on the 2027 draft.

A Chiefs official was in Columbus for the Ohio State Buckeyes’ season opener vs the Ball State Cardinals, according to NBC Sports’ Ryan Fowler. With the college football season underway, lots of scouts will come flocking to these games to analyze players. And it is common knowledge that Columbus has a gem: star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith.

Even before the 2026 season, Smith was seen as someone who would go on to be on OSU’s Mount Rushmore of wide receivers; he’s that good. Smith tallied 1,315 yards in his rookie season itself, won a National Championship, and was the Big Ten Receiver of the Year for two seasons straight. Against the Cardinals, Smith racked up 151 yards in only eight carries, and posted two touchdowns.

All in the one half he played, no less. The Buckeyes steamrolled the Cardinals into a 56-3 victory.

“Let young guys play,” the WR said.

Smith’s ability to withstand pressure and physical force from opponents, along with the sheer pace and team spirit, makes him a perfect fit for the Chiefs’ WR room. Pairing him with a star quarterback like Patrick Mahomes might put the entire league on notice.

While the Chiefs’ lineup includes Super Bowl winner Rashee Rice, he hasn’t been consistent, playing only 12 games in two years because of injury or off-court legal troubles. He is still recovering from the knee surgery that he had during this offseason. There’s also Xavier Worthy, entering his third season, but he is also finding his footing after an injury-shortened season last year.

The Chiefs are clearly without a reliable wide receiver, even though they have a good pass-catcher in Travis Kelce. Worthy made some ripples in training camp, but rookie wideout Cyrus Allen has perhaps grabbed the most attention with his development. But Kelce will retire sooner rather than later, which makes this a very shaky lineup for the future.

The bottom line is, the Chiefs need a dynamic wide receiver to match Mahomes’ skills.

Jeremiah Smith might be the guy. He also has a connection with Travis Kelce, having partnered with his brand and American Eagle last year. The tight end left a comment that read:

“LFG! Keep ballin bro.”

Smith is easily going to be a Top 10 draft pick if he goes lights out in his remaining years in college. That would mean the Chiefs have to suffer in the seasons before. But given how the franchise alarmingly dropped to 6-11 last year, and the lack of a strong receiving corps, who knows? The Chiefs might land the star WR.

Although, per Fowler, 16 more NFL teams had sent in their reps at Smith’s opening game. So the Chiefs might have tough competition at next year’s draft to pick Smith. However, the Cincinnati Bengals were notably absent from the list.

Of course, hearing such news would also make the Chiefs fans feel excited about Smith, as they have asked the franchise to sign a great receiver for a long time now, and their reactions to the news said it all.

One of the fans just reacted by posting a video of viral clips edited into the video.

“Dave Toub getting a first-hand look at his new punt gunner Jeremiah Smith.”

“Mahomes, K9, JS4 offence next year, start printing the f****** jerseys already, I got a whole country to spin NFL.”

The hope is real. A Mahomes-Smith pairing could become something like the Mahomes-Tyreek Hill pairing.

“ITS HAPPENING.”

Fans seem excited to see how the Chiefs and Smith unfold, as they want such a talented wide receiver to join one of the most successful franchises of the modern era.