Why Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith reminds Brady Quinn of LeBron James
Former Notre Dame quarterback and Fox college football analyst Brady Quinn did not need to see much of Ohio State freshman wide receiver Jeremiah Smith to make a massive comparison.
"I don't want this to sound like an overstatement talking about Jeremiah Smith," Quinn said. "But I live in the south Florida area. I had the chance to go watch him play at Chaminade Madonna. And it really reminded me of another guy in my class coming out of high school: LeBron James. That's how dominant he was. That's how so many years ahead of most young men (he is) at this age. I know what comes from that statement. But I know this young man is going to tear up college football."
Smith was the No. 1 player in the 2024 recruiting class per 247Sports' composite rankings. At Ohio State, Smith has already had a viral moment with a one-handed touchdown catch during a spring practice.
In 11 games for Chaminade-Madonna in 2023, Smith had 68 catches for 1,083 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns per MaxPreps.
“He’s turned some heads,” Will Howard, the quarterback who transferred from Kansas State, said of Smith. “He’s going to be a really special player.”
Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles also praised Smith in a recent interview on 97.1 The Fan.
“He’s fantastic,” Knowles said. “He may be the best player on the field already. He really is an exciting guy.”
Smith is one of two five-star wide receivers in the 2025 class along with Indiana native Mylan Graham, who will enroll in June.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Brady Quinn compares Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith to LeBron James