Brandon Johnson, the former Oregon Ducks nickel back, breaks down Ohio State Buckeyes WR Jeremiah Smith and the difficulty in covering him.
Jeremiah Smith Confounds Opponents, Proclaims Former Oregon Ducks Defender
During his 50-game college career between stops at Duke and Oregon, Johnson faced various talents. After graduating from Duke in three years before transferring to Oregon, Johnson earned his keep in coverage.
With 173 tackles, three interceptions, a pick-six, a scoop, and a score with four fumble recoveries, his opinion continues to gain credibility. Johnson went into detail on The Sitdown Podcast, stating:
Oregon Defensive Back Brandon Johnson @bj_three talks about what makes Jeremiah Smith special.#Sitdownwithbrandon
Full Episode on YouTube & Spotify. #OregonDucks #CollegeFootball #OhioState pic.twitter.com/8p20NaVBKg
— The Sitdown Podcast (@TheSitdownpod0) March 6, 2025
“I think it’s his mixture of size and speed also size speed and athletic ability, so like, these are all different things like I mean, he can jump out the gym, but he’s also 6’4”, and he’s also 220. He also runs as fast as anyone on the field.
“Now, he may not be the crispest receiver, but when you have all these other abilities, they can make up for wherever you lack. He’s a generational talent, for sure — you don’t see many football players like Jeremiah Smith. I’m looking forward to seeing what he does in the future.”
While Oregon split their 2024-25 games against the Buckeyes, Smith competed at the highest level. Johnson, or no other Duck, could contain the freshman. In the first matchup, Smith caught nine passes for 100 yards.
He enjoyed a good but not stellar day. Eight games later, during the College Football Playoff, Smith enjoyed the best game of his young career. The standout wide receiver torched the Ducks for seven catches for 187 yards and two touchdowns.
Defenders, whether corner or nickel safety, will need to ask themselves a couple of questions. First, if it’s press-man coverage, how should they handle a player who is significantly larger and stronger?
Granted, Smith can handle the physical aspect of the game, but what about the continued pressure of a solid game? You cannot expect a 175-pound corner to hold up in press all game without help rolling his way. Next, of a corner gives a bit of a cushion, can he break on the ball with enough strength and explosion to not only get to the ball but ability to make the play?
Highlights like this show the Buckeyes wideout with a knack for body control and adjustment with the ball in flight. As a corner, do you sell out and initiate contact with your head turned to face the past?
Officials will often throw a flag for pass interference, provided that the defender is looking toward the ball. Many wiser corners will use their core and trunk to box out the wideout, creating excessive contact.
Meanwhile, depending on the ball’s location, they use the opposite shoulder to burrow into the chest of the receiver. However, many college corners and safeties are not quite comfortable yet with this nuanced trick.
Johnson, as accomplished as he was during his career, could not stop the star freshman wideout. Yet, he remains one of many defensive backs who struggled.
KEEP READING: Jeremiah Smith Lands as the No. 1 Player Returning to College Football
The two groups that enjoyed a measure of success were Michigan’s Will Johnson, who led an effort that held Smith to five catches, 35 yards, and a touchdown. Similarly, through the use of bracketing, Texas locked up Smith, limiting him to one catch for three yards.
Smith drew comparisons to Marvin Harrison, Jr. that Johnson quickly dismissed. However, potential bias aside, Smith’s ceiling and floor both look sky-high. Meaning that his base level of accomplishment is still better that the ceiling of many. Brandon Johnson co-signed the claims of Smith’s talent. Now, what will his sophomore season look like?
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