LeSean McCoy has seen a lot of great wide receivers, and he still isn’t backing off his belief about Jeremiah Smith.
The former Pitt Panthers and Philadelphia Eagles standout didn’t just praise the Ohio State receiver - he went all the way in. McCoy, who was drafted by the Eagles in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft and later played in Philly, Buffalo, Kansas City and Tampa Bay, said Smith is in a class by himself.
“This is the greatest receiver I’ve ever laid eyes on,” McCoy said (h/t On3). “Man.
He is the greatest wide receiver I’ve ever seen. Argue with your mama.
Speed, size, hands. (Greatest) I’ve ever seen.
And I’ve seen a lot of them.”
That’s a heavy statement from someone who lined up with stars like DeSean Jackson, Tyreek Hill and Mike Evans. McCoy also made it clear this isn’t just about the players he shared a locker room with. He grew up watching some of the game’s best, and he still sees Smith as belonging in that conversation.
“My favorite growing up was Peter Warrick,” McCoy said. “I thought he was God great.
I used to love … who else? Larry Fitzgerald.
C’mon. Pitt, stand up.
Julio (Jones) was nice. AJ Green was really, really good too.
The difference is I can see Julio’s body frame on Jeremiah, but he’s way more developed. He’s way more advanced.”
That kind of comparison says plenty on its own. More advanced than Julio Jones? That’s not something people say lightly.
Smith’s production is doing plenty of talking too. Over the last two games, he has hauled in 23 catches for 423 yards and six touchdowns. For the season, he’s up to 44 receptions, 823 yards and nine touchdowns, putting him on pace for 106 catches, 1,975 receiving yards and 22 touchdowns.
McCoy is hardly alone in marveling at Smith. Steve Sarkisian, who faced him a few weeks ago, compared the Ohio State wideout to Randy Moss.
When a player has that many accomplished voices reaching for that kind of language, the hype starts to feel a lot less like hype.
Is Smith the greatest wide receiver ever? That still has a long way to go.
But right now, the Buckeyes’ star is making a serious case that he belongs in the biggest conversations.
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