Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith reveals most important thing he's been working on this spring ahead of 2025 college football season
The Ohio State Buckeyes held their annual spring game on Saturday and to the surprise of absolutely no one all eyes were on star wide receiver, Jeremiah Smith.Smith just put up the most impressive true freshman wide receiver season in the history of college football last year, so where does he go from here? That […]
The Ohio State Buckeyes held their annual spring game on Saturday and to the surprise of absolutely no one all eyes were on star wide receiver, Jeremiah Smith.
Smith just put up the most impressive true freshman wide receiver season in the history of college football last year, so where does he go from here? That was part of the question that sideline reporters asked Jeremiah Smith amid Ohio State's spring game on Saturday when he revealed exactly what he's trying to work on most to help him take yet another step forward in 2024.
Jeremiah Smith stepping up as a leader
Jeremiah Smith has obviously been working on several things this spring with head coach Ryan Day and offensive coordinator Brian Hartline, but he revealed the biggest, most important thing he believes he needs to work through now too. And it's not just about his game on the field:
"Something I want to improve on is just getting a better understanding of the game. That's one of the biggest things me and coach [Brian] Hartline talked about…[Being a more vocal leader] has been a challenge. I'm not the talkative type of person. So just stepping out of my comfort zone has been one of the biggest things. Then going through this spring being more of a leader. Guys in the locker room want to see me talk, and be more of a leader towards the younger guys [and other teammates]. So, that's probably the biggest thing, being more of a leader."
Now that nearly 20 Ohio State Buckeyes veterans have left for the NFL Draft this spring, including star wide receiver Emeka Egbuka, Jeremiah Smith sees himself as a clear leader on the team. Yes, fellow starting wide receiver Carnell Tate can also step up since he's even more experienced than Smith, but beyond those two the Buckeyes wide receiver room is extremely green.
Brandon Inniss, Mylan Graham, plus highly touted freshman wide receivers Quincy Porter and Phillip Bell could all use some direction and leadership from Smith as the receiver room continues to grow together. If Ohio State wants 2025 to be far more than a rebuilding (or at least retooling) year a big leap forward is going to be required from several key offensive weapons.
The on-field performance certainly wasn't an issue for Jeremiah Smith, and it likely won't be a problem in 2025. If he can develop into a leader, making everyone else better around him, that could be what makes the difference for the Ohio State Buckeyes this fall.
We'll be back with more Ohio State Buckeyes coverage here at A to Z Sports soon! Follow me (@FF_TravisM) and A to Z Sports (@AtoZSportsNFL) on X for all the latest football news!
And if you want to look back on the special season that was Jeremiah Smith's best true freshman year ever just check out his 2024 highlights in the video below!
