Early signing day for the 2023 recruiting class opens next week, but Ohio State is already off to an impressive start with its 2024 class. Five-star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith announced his commitment to Ohio State Wednesday. Smith, a native of Opa Locka, Florida, chose Ohio State over offers from other top programs like Alabama, USC, Miami, Florida, Florida State, Georgia and basically any school that uses wide receivers. He was in demand.
Smith is rated as the No. 5 overall player in the 2024 class by 247Sports and is the No. 2 overall receiver in the 247Sports Composite. He's the No. 1 receiver in the class in both rankings. At 6'3 and 185 pounds, Smith helped lead Chaminade-Madonna Prep to a 12-1 record and Florida state championship.
While there's still a long way to go in the 2024 class, Smith's addition gives the Buckeyes the No. 6 ranked class. He's one of only two players currently committed, but when the other is fellow five-star quarterback Dylan Raiola, the No. 1 player in the class, the quality outshines the quantity.
As for Smith's decision to attend Ohio State, it shouldn't come as much of a surprise to anybody who follows college football. Ohio State has been producing NFL receivers steadily in recent years. Ohio State has seen 15 receivers drafted since the 2015 NFL Draft, including two first-round selections in Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson last season. Many believe Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who missed nearly the entire 2022 season with a hamstring injury, could be the next. Meanwhile, Smith-Njigba's replacement, Marvin Harrison Jr., was a Biletnikoff Award finalist, and Emeka Egbuka might be too.
Only Alabama can claim to have produced as many top receivers in recent years as the Buckeyes, and Smith could prove to be the next one to make his way through Columbus.
