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Who is 2024 Ohio State five-star WR commit Jeremiah Smith? 'He's a special individual'

colin gay, the columbus dispatch
·4 min read
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Dameon Jones has coached a lot of players in his days at Chaminade-Madonna College Preparatory School in Hollywood, Florida.

He’s seen his share of players get to the next level, whether it’s Auburn-turned-Purdue wide receiver Elijah Canion, Miami running back Thad Franklin or Ohio State cornerback Ryan Turner and defensive end Kenyatta Jackson Jr.

But Jones has not seen a player like Jeremiah Smith.

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“It’s easy to coach guys that want to be the best,” Jones told The Dispatch. “They never stop working. He’s the type, he never stops working.”

This is the kind of player Ohio State wide receivers coach Brian Hartline has developed his recruiting reputation around, securing a commitment from Smith — the No. 1 receiver and No. 2 player in the 2024 class behind quarterback and Ohio State commit Dylan Raiola — Wednesday.

In Smith, Jones sees a wide receiver who is never satisfied, seeing potential in the now 6-foot-3, 185-pound five star from seventh grade before officially getting his hands on Smith when he transferred to Chaminade-Madonna as a sophomore.

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In two seasons for the Lions, Smith has 84 catches for 1,629 receiving yards and 26 touchdowns, averaging 81.5 receiving yards per game, according to MaxPreps, showing off his explosiveness and hands on a regular basis in the passing game, per Jones.

“I don’t need plays to make him shine because he’s going to do that regardless,” Jones said. “Just to show everybody what his talent is. He’s a special individual, man. There’s not too many of them walking around.”

Hartline saw that same potential a year-and-a-half ago when he first connected with Smith, Jones said, seeing a “great receiver that wanted to be better,” and the intangibles of a five-star receiver that would be a good fit for his room.

Sep 3, 2022; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State football recruit WR Jeremiah Smith walks on the field prior to the NCAA football game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Adam Cairns-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 3, 2022; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State football recruit WR Jeremiah Smith walks on the field prior to the NCAA football game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Adam Cairns-USA TODAY Sports

Jones never steered Smith in any direction, saying he encouraged the receiver to do his own research on all the programs that were interested in him and find the best fit instead of relying solely on the name brand.

Jones said Smith made his mind up on Ohio State “a few months back.”

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From that point, the Chaminade-Madonna coach never saw a change in Smith. The wide receiver is still in the weight room. He’s still running track, doing whatever it takes to be the best receiver in the country.

And ahead of his senior high school season, Jones doesn’t expect to see that change.

“He’s different,” Jones said. “I’ve coached a lot of kids in my day. I’ve coached a lot of kids that become pros in my day. He’s different. Like he has that work ethic that a lot of kids in this generation don’t have. That’s why he’s where he’s at now.”

Ohio State football schedule 2023

Here's what Ohio State's 2023 football schedule looks like.

  • Sept. 2: Ohio State vs. Indiana, Memorial Stadium, Bloomington, Indiana

  • Sept. 9: Ohio State vs. Youngstown State, Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio

  • Sept. 16: Ohio State vs. Western Kentucky, Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio

  • Sept. 23: Ohio State vs. Notre Dame, Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, Indiana

  • Oct. 7: Ohio State vs. Maryland, Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio

  • Oct. 14: Ohio State vs. Purdue, Ross-Ade Stadium, West Lafayette, Indiana

  • Oct. 21: Ohio State vs. Penn State, Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio

  • Oct. 28: Ohio State vs. Wisconsin, Camp Randall Stadium, Madison, Wisconsin

  • Nov. 4: Ohio State vs. Rutgers, SHI Stadium, Piscataway, New Jersey

  • Nov. 11: Ohio State vs. Michigan State, Spartan Stadium, East Lansing, Michigan

  • Nov. 18: Ohio State vs. Minnesota, Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio

  • Nov. 25: Ohio State vs. Michigan, Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, Michigan

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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Who is 2024 Ohio State five-star WR commit Jeremiah Smith?