Ohio State’s NIL machine is built to land stars, and a couple of Buckeyes are already cashing in by playing like it.
Jeremiah Smith has been the headliner. The wide receiver arrived on campus as a true freshman in 2024 and has done nothing but blow past expectations since then. The NIL Standard pegs his estimated NIL value at $5 million, and there’s a real argument that Ohio State is getting him for less than he’s worth.
Smith’s production backed that up last season. After two straight seasons with more than 1,000 receiving yards, he posted 1,243 receiving yards, 87 catches and 12 touchdowns, and he finished sixth in Heisman Trophy voting.
His value, though, goes well beyond the stat sheet. Defenses are forced to shade two or even three defenders his way, and that kind of attention changes everything for Ohio State’s offense.
Texas managed to keep Smith in check in the last two meetings over the past two seasons, but that came with a cost, as other receivers like Carnell Tate stepped up and helped the Buckeyes win both games.
Smith’s impact has been so strong that when next April arrives, he is expected to be the first non-quarterback selected in the 2027 NFL Draft.
Quarterback Julian Sayin is right behind him in the NIL conversation. Entering his second season as Ohio State’s starter, Sayin’s deal is expected to be around $2.4 million. Some Buckeye fans may still be frustrated by what they saw from him in the final two games last season against Indiana and Miami, but the bigger picture was a strong year overall.
The 21-year-old threw for 3,610 yards and 32 touchdowns with eight interceptions, while completing 77% of his passes. That performance earned him fourth place in Heisman voting.
Still, Sayin has to be sharper in the biggest moments this season, and he’ll get plenty of chances to prove it. Ohio State is set to face Texas, Oregon, USC, Michigan and Indiana, and all of them could be top-15 teams this season.
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Alabamas Quarterback Battle Could Decide More Than Just The Starting Job
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For the Buckeyes, that kind of camp progress matters because so much of the offense depends on players taking a step when the lights come on. The same is true across the college game, where quarterback play and the growth of a few pivotal skill guys can influence not just a starting job, but how far a team can go once the season starts. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio States WRU Edge Is Still Turning Heads With Elite Recruits
Ohio States reputation at wide receiver keeps cashing checks in the NFL, and the latest proof came when the Saints re-signed Chris Olave to a four-year, $132 million deal. It is another reminder of how deeply the Buckeyes have built their identity at the position, with former Ohio State receivers stacking more than $527 million in contracts over the last two years as the program continues to feed the league and reinforce its own selling point.
Under Cortez Hankton, the current room still carries that same appeal for top-end talent, and it is showing up early in the recruiting cycle too. Four-star 2028 receiver Hayden Koo recently included Ohio State among his top schools after landing an offer from the Buckeyes, another sign that elite recruits are watching the programs track record closely and taking note of how often it turns promise into something much bigger. [Read more 🡒]