Jeremiah Smith dropped a bold statement on a dark horse Ohio State football playmaker who could be in for a breakout season

Ohio State needs players to step up with what they lost from the 2025 team, and Jeremiah Smith has an idea of who it will be.

Brandon Little — Ohio State Buckeyes & Cleveland Browns News Writer
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When the Ohio State Buckeyes are back on the field in September things will look a bit different with Brian Hartline not around for the first time in a decade. 

With Hartline’s departure to South Florida, the Buckeyes had quite a bit of roster turnover at the wide receiver position. It was mostly rotational and bench players who left Ohio State, but it was still notable. 

Returning Jeremiah Smith was the most crucial thing Ohio State could do. The Buckeyes also returned Brandon Inniss, and it was key with Carnell Tate off to the NFL. 

Jeremiah Smith believes 2026 is finally the season for Brandon Inniss  

“This year he’s gonna be the guy,” Smith said of Inniss over the weekend. “He’s gonna be the one taking that leap this year, and we owe it to him. He’s been here for four years, he knows he’s gotta come in and put in the work as well, but just [it’s]do or die for him.”

This could determine if he’d be a first-round draft, so he knows what’s at stake.”

Inniss was the slot receiver for the Buckeyes last season, and it was his first year as a full-time starter in college. The Florida product caught 36 passes for 271 receiving yards and three touchdowns. It was a bump up from the 14 catches, 176 yards, and one touchdown Inniss put out as a sophomore in 2024 when Ohio State won the national championship. 

The slot position has typically been highly productive for Ohio State’s offense and they need Inniss to be able to get them more.  Ohio State went out and got Kyle Parker and Devin McCuinn in the transfer portal, so there’s competition for other players to take slot snaps when needed. 

Inniss is likely to be a team captain this coming fall and he’s been an important piece of Ohio State’s team the past couple of years despite not having a lot of production. As a senior, he has a chance to finally break out, and it could end with him being an early-round draft pick.  

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