It’s way too early to lock in the 2027 NFL Draft, but one position already looks loaded: wide receiver. And right at the top of that pile sit Jeremiah Smith and Cam Coleman, the two pass catchers who are about to share the spotlight when Ohio State and Texas meet in Austin this Saturday.
Both have already built serious NFL buzz. Both are viewed as game-changing talents.
And both are separating themselves from a receiver group that includes names like Indiana’s Charlie Becker and Nick Marsh, plus Alabama’s Ryan Coleman-Williams. But there’s a noticeable gap between that next tier and these two stars.
Smith has become the clear No. 1 receiver in the class, and in some corners, he’s being treated like much more than that. Since arriving at Ohio State, he’s been dominant, including a breakout true freshman season in 2024 that quickly pushed him into elite draft conversations.
At 6-4 and 222 pounds, he already has the kind of frame NFL teams love. Add in a 4.32 40-yard dash, per NFL Draft Buzz, and you get a rare blend of size and speed that makes him stand out even in a strong class.
That’s why Smith is being discussed as a possible top-5 pick, and maybe even a top-3 selection depending on how the board shakes out around quarterback-heavy draft needs. There’s even been talk that he could be one of the best wide receiver prospects ever. He also looks like a legitimate Heisman contender this season, and he’s already flashed that kind of production:
8 REC, 156 YDS, 2 TD
Early Heisman statement? pic.twitter.com/cvDv56QdKw
- Football Performances (@NFLPerformances) September 5, 2026
In early mock drafts, Smith has been tied to the Dolphins, a fit that makes at least some sense this far out given their uncertain 2026 outlook and the departures of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. NFL Mock Draft Database’s consensus rankings currently place Smith at No. 3 overall, behind only Arch Manning and Dante Moore. If that holds, he’d be one of the highest-drafted receivers ever.
Coleman doesn’t have quite the same level of hype, but that’s more about the volume of his college production than a lack of talent. In most drafts, he’d be the top receiver.
At 6-foot-3 and 201 pounds, with a 4.42 40-yard dash, per NFL Draft Buzz, he brings NFL size and speed of his own. He arrived at Auburn as a consensus five-star recruit and made an immediate impact as a freshman, showing off elite deep-ball tracking and the kind of catch radius that jumps off the screen.
The warts are there, too. Coleman still has work to do after the catch and on ball security. But the upside is obvious, and with him now at Texas after two years at Auburn, he has a chance in 2026 to strengthen the case that he belongs in the top-10 conversation.
Not many receivers can make catches like these:
The catch radius is insane
Cam Coleman 🤯 pic.twitter.com/yyKGbWetBP
- Texas Football (@TexasFootball) August 8, 2026
Mock drafts have Coleman slotted as a likely top-10 pick, with top-5 potential if he takes another step this season. The Longhorns’ roster could end up looking loaded in April, with Coleman alongside Arch Manning, Trevor Goosby and Colin Simmons as possible top-10 selections.
The numbers help explain why Smith is still the consensus better prospect. Through two college seasons, his production has matched the hype, and Ohio State has won plenty with him in the lineup. Coleman, meanwhile, has yet to clear 1,000 yards in a season, and Auburn’s 5-7 records in both 2024 and 2025 didn’t exactly give him a runway to pile up eye-popping totals.
That part could change now that he’s at Texas. With Manning expected to feed him throughout the season, Coleman has a real chance to put up the kind of numbers that move him closer to Smith in the 2027 conversation.
In Other News...
Texas-Ohio State Is Already Creating An Austin Frenzy
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Still, the game is shaping up to be a major moment for the city as much as for the team. Local business owners and economic experts are expecting a wave of visitors to bring a noticeable boost to Austin, adding another layer to a matchup that is already carrying plenty of weight for Texas fans trying to take it all in, even if they have to do so from afar. [Read more 🡒]
Urban Meyer Sees Ohio State Texas Coming Down To One Big Play
Urban Meyer is treating the Ohio State-Texas showdown like the kind of early-season heavyweight fight that can swing on a single moment. After both teams rolled through their openers against overmatched opponents, the former Buckeyes coach pointed to the quarterbacks as the obvious center of gravity, with Julian Sayin and Arch Manning carrying most of the pressure in a game that figures to be tight for a long stretch.
Texas does get the home-field edge, and Meyer acknowledged that as part of what makes this such a tricky road test for Ohio State. Still, he called for the Buckeyes to pull it out, which only adds another layer to a matchup already loaded with intrigue. For a Longhorns team trying to measure itself against one of the sports standard-bearers, the margin for error may be as slim as Meyer suggests. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Faces One Real Backfield Concern Before Ohio State
Texas has spent much of the buildup to Ohio State sorting through the usual early-season questions, but the one backfield wrinkle worth watching is the status of freshman running back Derrek Cooper. He was hurt in the season opener, and while the Longhorns have not issued an official injury report, head coach Steve Sarkisian said Cooper was in a boot as the team moved into the week.
Cooper is now a game-time decision, which leaves a little uncertainty in an area where Texas otherwise expects to lean on its top options. If he cannot go, the Longhorns should have enough depth to cover the workload, with Hollywood Smothers and Raleek Brown likely carrying most of the load. Still, against a national-stage opponent like Ohio State, every available back matters, and Texas would prefer to know exactly what it has before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]