Jeremiah Smith’s 99 overall rating in EA Sports college football reboot couldn’t be more of a no-brainer
The Ohio State star receiver got a top honor from the popular video game developer, and it was completely warranted.
EA Sports announced that Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith will be the first-ever 99 overall player in the rebooted college football video game, and anyone trying to argue he doesn’t deserve it is just plain wrong.
There have been people this offseason trying to downplay how generational an athlete Smith really is. While the word “generational” gets thrown around far too loosely to describe prospects and players, this is the one situation where it actually applies. From a production standpoint, the numbers are absurd. Smith posted back-to-back seasons with over 1,200 yards and more than 12 touchdowns, and that stretch started as a true freshman. We don’t see true freshmen do the things he did right off the bat. He took over as the primary target in Ohio State’s offense and has been clearly the best receiver in college football for two consecutive years.
The Julio Jones comparison falls short
Many love comparing Smith to former Alabama wide receiver Julio Jones because of their physical tools. It’s a fair comparison on the surface, but the production gap is significant. Jones’ first year in college football produced only 924 yards and four touchdowns. His best season came in 2010, and it doesn’t even come close, with just 1133 yards.
From a physical trait standpoint, Smith is the most otherworldly athlete we have seen play college football. To be able to have those tools translate immediately as a true freshman is unheard of. Jones eventually became one of the greatest receivers in NFL history, but he didn’t dominate at the college level the way Smith has from day one.
A 99 overall should be reserved for cheat codes
The most important aspect of this rating is what it’s supposed to represent. A 99 overall should be reserved for players who are cheat codes. It’s supposed to be for the guy who feels it’s unfair to use when you’re going head-to-head with somebody else. Smith is a 6-foot-3, 225-pound receiver who moves like a player half his size. That combination of size, speed, and route-running ability is exactly what a 99 overall was designed to capture.
Smith’s resume speaks for itself — back-to-back dominant seasons, elite physical tools that surpass the very comparisons people draw for him, and a level of immediate impact that college football rarely produces. EA Sports made the right call, and when the game drops, Smith will be the player everyone gravitates toward. And he should be.