Jeremiah Smith, a highly rated wide receiver recruit for Ohio State, has yet to play his first college football game, but NFL experts and analysts already believe he has the talent to be a top draft pick. So, it’s never too early to wonder about his draft stock, and according to them, he is an obvious top-five pick.
Experts Predict Jeremiah Smith’s Landing Spot in the NFL Draft
On a recent episode of the “Cover 3 Podcast,” analysts Chip Patterson, Tom Fornelli, and Danny Kanell explored an exciting what-if scenario. They debated whether Smith would have been drafted in the top five if the rules had allowed him to enter the 2024 NFL Draft.
With experts comparing him to generational talents, could he already be among the most coveted prospects in football?
It all started with a fun thought experiment. Patterson shared a listener question:
“Nicholas pulled up to the tailgate, and he just had a little thought experiment. Nicholas says, the rules allowed. Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith to be draft eligible this year. And I assume that we are meeting this past draft in April. Would he have been drafted? Where would he have been drafted?”
Smith’s freshman season at Ohio State has only added to the excitement around this what-if question. He finished the year with 76 catches, 1,315 yards, and 15 touchdowns.
Even more impressive, he averaged 17.3 yards per catch. His numbers broke records previously held by Hall of Famer Cris Carter. These stats prove why scouts see him as a NFL ready product.
Fornelli was firm in his stance, believing Smith would have been one of the first five picks off the board, possibly the first wide receiver taken.
He said, “I think he’d have been a top five pick. I think he would have been the first receiver taken for sure. I don’t like, I’ve seen people talk about how he’d be the top player in the draft for the first player taken. I, I don’t know if anybody’s ever going to take a wide receiver number one in the NFL.”
Kanell added another layer to the conversation. He believed the young WR could’ve gone fourth overall to the New England Patriots. He imagined a perfect pairing between Smith and rookie quarterback Drake Maye, similar to the connection Joe Burrow once had with Ja’Marr Chase.
Smith stands out not only because of his stats but also due to his size (6’3”, 215 lbs), speed, and sharp route-running.
Kanell pointed out that Smith wouldn’t have been a player teams stash on the bench, noting, “I think Jeremiah Smith would have been able to transition. And I don’t think teams would have stashed him. I think he would have been playing right away.”
KEEP READING: ‘That Guy Is Insane’ – Is Jeremiah Smith the Best Player in the Country?
The comparisons are already rolling in. Some insiders see shades of Travis Hunter, while others mention Ryan Williams. However, with his mix of size, speed, and strength, experts say he’s certain to be a top draft pick—whether in 2025 or later.
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