Jeremiah Smith was recognized as an Iron Buckeye for his work in the weight room during the past two summers.
But Smith hopes to show more than physical feats during Ohio State’s strength and conditioning workouts in June and July.
During a partnership appearance at a KeyBank branch in Upper Arlington on June 4, the wide receiver pointed to being selected as a captain for the upcoming season as one of his goals for the summer.
“That’s one of the big things I want to accomplish before I leave Ohio State,” Smith said. “It’s probably one of the biggest things, becoming more of a leader.”
Smith has been one of the biggest stars in college football since his record-breaking freshman season in 2024, giving him a national profile early in his career, but his stature in the Buckeyes’ locker room promises to grow as he assumes a larger leadership role.
As a junior with nearly 30 career starts, Smith is one of the most experienced players on the roster and sees opportunity to help the wave of newcomers acclimate to Ohio State this offseason. About half the roster is filled with transfers or newly enrolled freshmen.
“We got a lot of young guys, especially in the receiver room, and a whole new team,” Smith said. “We got 51 new guys that don’t know the culture of Ohio State. We got to teach them the way things are run, and that’s win, brotherhood and tough love. We got to teach them that.”
Smith’s interactions with teammates are not limited to leading them through weightlifting stations or conditioning drills.
“You got to talk to your teammates,” Smith said.
He said it’s an emphasis of strength and conditioning coach Mickey Marotti.
“If not, coach Mick can get on you,” Smith said.
It’s why he’s tried to be engaging with teammates and talk about interests outside of their sport.
“Just little things, locker room talk, things that are going on with your family,” Smith said.
Smith said he was talking with a quarterback recently about picking up golf, a popular summer hobby among players.
“I’m trying to get into golf a little bit,” Smith said.
The Buckeyes had four teams captains with safety Caleb Downs, wide receiver Brandon Inniss, offensive lineman Austin Siereveld and safety Sonny Styles. Downs and Styles were taken in the NFL draft in April, while Inniss and Siereveld remained in school.
Joey Kaufman covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch. Email him at jkaufman@dispatch.com and follow him on @joeyrkaufman on X.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Jeremiah Smith wants to be captain for Ohio State football in 2026
Reporting by Joey Kaufman, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
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By Joey Kaufman, Columbus Dispatch | USA TODAY Network
