During spring practice two years ago, Ohio State quarterback Will Howard overthrew a freshman wide receiver in the end zone, prompting head coach Ryan Day to angrily challenge the passer about giving the ultimate target a fair opportunity.

Howard recalled thinking that calling an untested freshman the potential best receiver ever was a crazy proposition at the time. Two years later, that bold assessment no longer appears far-fetched as Smith continues to obliterate collegiate defensive schemes.

Texas coach Steve Sarkisian, whose teams have faced Smith three times, described the receiver as a rare talent who instills immediate fear in opponents on every single snap. Sarkisian compared Smith's game-taking ability directly to NFL Hall of Famer Randy Moss.

Drawing parallels from his time evaluating talent in the NFL, Sarkisian noted that Smith possesses the rare length, strength, speed, body adjustment, and catch-and-run capabilities that mirror the legendary Moss during his prime years.

Pro Football Hall of Famer Larry Fitzgerald also sees striking similarities in how Smith attacks the football and uses his frame to shield defenders. Fitzgerald noted that Smith displays exceptional trust-building qualities while offering vastly superior athletic traits.

Despite facing constant double-teams and defensive attention, Smith has accumulated 48 receptions for 916 yards and 11 touchdowns this season. He currently ranks second nationally across all three major receiving statistical categories.

The prolific playmaker has already shattered Ohio State career records for receptions with 211, receiving yards with 3,474, and touchdown catches totaling 38. Head coach Ryan Day marvels at the sheer difficulty opponents face when trying to isolate him.

Day remarked that when Smith faces single coverage he is wide open, and even when facing double coverage he remains partially open, joking that triple coverage is the only way to force the ball elsewhere on the field.

Over the past five draft cycles, Day has successfully guided six wide receivers into the first round of the NFL draft. Even among that elite group of professionals, Day maintains that ranking anyone above Smith remains exceptionally difficult.

Smith previously capped a remarkable freshman campaign by securing a game-clinching 56-yard reception from Howard on third-and-11. That clutch play successfully sealed Ohio State's victory over Notre Dame to capture the national championship.

An unnamed NFL general manager revealed during the 2025 combine that Smith possessed the raw talent to have commanded the number one overall selection in that year's draft after completing just a single college season.

Reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Year Jaxon Smith-Njigba noted that Smith has only grown bigger, faster, and stronger while refining his route-running abilities significantly since his initial arrival on campus.

Lining up in the slot far more frequently than in his previous two seasons, Smith currently leads the nation with an astonishing 6.03 yards per route run. He also accounts for 38 percent of Ohio State's total offensive targets.

Despite commanding 48 targets where no defender stood within an arm's length upon arrival, placing him second nationally, Smith continues to thrive against every tactical coverage designed specifically to stop him.

Fitzgerald emphasized that while many talented receivers exist, truly special players continue to win consistently even when every opposing defensive coordinator knows precisely where the football is heading on every play.

Entering the current campaign, Smith stands as the overwhelming betting favorite to claim the Heisman Trophy according to DraftKings odds. He sits comfortably ahead of prominent quarterback competitors Darian Mensah and CJ Carr.

Historical comparisons for Smith involve legendary figures such as Randy Moss, who caught a then-record 26 touchdown passes at Marshall in 1997. Larry Fitzgerald similarly dominated at Pitt despite heavy defensive focus.

Other legendary names in the conversation include Michael Crabtree, who became the first receiver to win the Biletnikoff Award twice at Texas Tech. Calvin Johnson terrorized Atlantic Coast Conference defenses with unmatched size and athleticism at Georgia Institute of Technology.

In 2020, Alabama standout DeVonta Smith became the first wide receiver in nearly three decades to secure the Heisman Trophy. Jeremiah Smith has yet to win the Biletnikoff Award or capture the Heisman, though he remains firmly on track.

Smith-Njigba suggested that securing those prestigious individual accolades would provide the ultimate validation for Smith's collegiate career. Earning such honors could definitively cement his status at the very pinnacle of the sport.

Fitzgerald expressed caution when ranking modern athletes against historical pioneers who helped shape the sport's rich history. However, he conceded that Smith has thoroughly earned the right to be included in the greatest-of-all-time conversation.