Jeremiah Smith is headed into what could be the defining season of his Ohio State career, and the Buckeyes star is already sitting on a long list of what-ifs.
Smith said at Media Day that Alabama was his dream school growing up in South Florida, but the Crimson Tide never came after him. That opened the door for Ohio State to land the top recruit in the country in the 2024 class.
“Growing up my dream school was Alabama when Nick Saban was there. But they wasn’t recruiting me.”
That missed opportunity looks even bigger now. Smith has become one of the best receivers in Ohio State history, and he enters his final college season with a chance to keep rewriting the record book before he leaves early for the NFL Draft.
Alabama’s timing didn’t help. Nick Saban retired after the 2023 season, and Kalen DeBoer apparently turned his attention elsewhere.
The source article says DeBoer wanted Ryan Coleman-Williams instead, and that choice has not aged well. Coleman-Williams’ numbers dropped last year compared with his freshman season, while Smith has doubled him up in nearly every major stat over the last two seasons.
Ohio State has gotten the payoff. Smith was the Buckeyes’ best player during their 2024 national championship run, and he was even better last year. Now, in 2026, he’s aiming to be the best player in the country and help Ohio State chase another title.
The story could have looked very different in Tuscaloosa. The source notes that Smith likely wouldn’t have put up the same numbers at Alabama, pointing to the Tide’s quarterback play, and he also wouldn’t have the national championship ring he earned with Ohio State.
There’s still plenty left for him to chase in Columbus. By the end of this season, Smith has a shot to own every major Ohio State receiving record. Even a solid year could leave him atop the program in catches, touchdowns and receiving yards, which would put him in rare company.
The NFL is waiting too. Smith has a chance to be a top-three pick in the 2027 NFL Draft, and at minimum he looks like a top-five selection and the premier weapon in the country. Teams, according to the source, are already eager to get him in their building and make him an immediate difference-maker.
For now, Smith says his focus is on winning every game for Ohio State. Ryan Day said at Media Day that Smith could barely walk before last year’s Michigan game and still played great, a detail that says plenty about how much he’s embraced the Buckeyes now.
What could have been for Bama.
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