In what might be the least surprising ranking ever in college football history, ESPN named Ohio State star Jeremiah Smith as the top wide receiver in the college game for the 2026 season. Ask any NFL scout or executive out there, and they will most likely tell you that he is the best player in college football, whether or not traditional voters that like to decide these things say so or not.
Smith has already put together quite the career on the banks of the Olentangy. In just two years, he has caught 163 passes for 2,558 yards (15.7 avg) and 27 touchdowns. He is primed to break several all-time receiving records at Ohio State this season and will most likely go down as the best to ever wear the scarlet and gray, and will be in the conversation for the best college receiver ever.
He should have one whale of a year in 2026 before he heads off to the NFL and becomes a high first-round draft pick. Here’s what Eli Lederman and Max Olson say about the college superstar.
“Smith has been a first-team All-American in each of his two college seasons. He has logged more receiving yards (2,258) and touchdowns (27) since the start of the 2024 campaign than any other current FBS pass catcher, per ESPN Research. No one in the storied history of Ohio State’s wide receiver room has reached 200 catches, 2,000 receiving yards and 25 touchdowns faster.”
ESPN continues to wax poetically about Smith, but you can check out the rest of the comments and what the worldwide leader says about the other top ten by visiting and reading on your own. Here’s a breakdown of the top ten according to the piece.
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This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: ESPN names Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith top 2026 college receiver
Reporting by Phil Harrison, Buckeyes Wire / Buckeyes Wire
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By Phil Harrison, Buckeyes Wire | USA TODAY Network
