Jeremiah Smith is the kind of college football player who makes people stop and stare. At Ohio State, he’s already the sort of talent who piles up records with a mix of speed, size, and pure athletic force. But when the New York Times put together its college football “freaks” list, Smith found himself in the shadow of another wideout.
That player is South Carolina’s Nyck Harbor.
The term “freaks” in this setting is meant as praise, not insult. It’s the shorthand for the rare guys who look like they were built in a lab - massive, fast, and skilled in ways that don’t seem fair.
Smith absolutely fits that description. He stands just over 6'3", checks in at a sculpted 224 pounds, and has been tracked at 23.5 miles per hour.
Still, Harbor has the edge in pure jaw-dropping physical traits.
Harbor is listed at around 6'6" and between 235 and 243 pounds, giving him the frame of a tight end with the burst of a wide receiver. He’s quick enough to compete for South Carolina’s track team, and the image alone is ridiculous: sprinters who are a half-foot shorter and 50-60 pounds lighter trying to match him stride for stride. Harbor was clocked at 23.8 miles per hour in the offseason.
He arrived from Washington, D.C., in the 2023 class as a highly regarded recruit, though not the same kind of can’t-miss national name Smith was. On3’s consensus rankings had Harbor at No. 21 nationally, while ESPN listed him as a four-star and No. 39 overall.
His production has grown steadily as he’s grown into the position. In 2023, he caught 12 passes for 195 yards.
In 2024, that climbed to 26 catches for 376 yards. Then in 2025, Harbor took another step forward and started looking like a true breakout candidate.
He finished with 30 receptions for 618 yards and earned another role because of that speed: kick return duties for South Carolina, something Shane Beamer thought enough of to trust him with. Harbor also turned in his first two career 100-yard receiving games as a junior, going for three catches and 102 yards against Texas A&M and six catches for 115 yards against Clemson. His 20.6 yards per carry offers a glimpse of what might be coming in his senior season.
Smith may be the one with Ohio State positioned much closer to a national title, but Harbor is the player whose physical profile keeps turning heads across the SEC and beyond. Being better than Smith is a high standard, but Harbor’s size, speed, and growing receiving game make him one of the most startling talents in the sport.
In Other News...
Ohio State May Already Have Another Freshman Receiver Fans Need To Watch
Even with the Buckeyes already carrying the usual buzz around their receiver room, Chris Henry Jr. has become one of the early freshman names worth tracking as the program looks ahead to 2026. The profile around him is part of a broader look at five incoming wideouts around college football, but Henry stands out for Ohio State because the expectations are already high before he has played a snap in earnest.
Early practice impressions have only added to the attention, and the appeal here is obvious for Buckeyes fans who know how often Ohio State has turned receiver recruiting into an offensive advantage. Henry is projected to be part of a deeper wave of freshmen who could matter right away for their teams, and the next question is how quickly that promise turns into a defined role once the competition inside the room really starts to sort itself out. [Read more 🡒]
Arthur Smith Could Be Ryan Days Biggest Ohio State Win Yet
Ryan Days latest staff move gives Ohio State a new look on offense, and it comes at a moment when the Buckeyes are trying to keep their standard high after Brian Hartline left for South Florida. Day turned to Arthur Smith, the former Steelers offensive coordinator, to fill the vacancy, and Smiths arrival brings an NFL rsum and a different kind of credibility to a room that has long been central to Ohio States identity.
What makes the hire interesting is that Smith passed on other opportunities to take the job in Columbus, drawn by the chance to work with young players and make a broader impact. With returning starters in place, the Buckeyes now have a coordinator whose style could help push the offense forward, and the real question is how quickly Smith can translate that background into results in his first season in charge. [Read more 🡒]
Former Ohio State DE Adds To A Frustrating Transfer Pattern
Omari Abors path has become another reminder of how unpredictable the transfer market can be for former Ohio State players looking for a fresh start. After leaving the Buckeyes following the 2023 season, the former defensive end spent 2024 at SMU and finished with just two tackles, a brief stop for a player who arrived in college with plenty of pedigree and expectations.
Abor now appears on Akrons roster for 2026 after not playing in 2025, taking advantage of an NCAA eligibility extension in the process. For Ohio State, it adds one more entry to a long-running conversation about how often transfers find the roles they wanted after leaving Columbus, and how quickly a change of scenery can turn into another detour instead of a reset. [Read more 🡒]