Ryan Day has priceless reaction to landing nation's top recruit

Ohio State football coach Ryan Day. Doral Chenoweth / USA TODAY NETWORK

Ryan Day has priceless reaction to Ohio State landing nation's top recruit

By Michael Gallagher | Last updated 12/20/23

Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day has lost quite a bit of talent to the NCAA transfer portal over the last few weeks, so when Day got news OSU had landed five-star receiver Jeremiah Smith, he couldn’t help but have an over-the-top reaction.

While speaking to reporters during a Wednesday news conference, Day was informed that the Buckeyes had beaten out finalists Florida State and Miami for Smith, the No. 1 overall recruit in the class of 2024, according the 247Sports composite rankings, which made the coach a bit weak in the knees.

Ryan Day can finally take a deep breath knowing the Buckeyes signed the number one player in the 2024 class.

Here is his reaction of learning the news that Jeremiah Smith will be the newest member of zone 6: pic.twitter.com/pLK437lASz
— Adam King (@AdamKing10TV) December 20, 2023

“Well, I don’t know if everything is in yet,” Day joked with one of his staffers. “You’ve got to check to make sure it’s in before I [comment on it and] get myself in trouble.”

Smith, a 6-foot-3, 198-pound receiver from Opa Locka, Florida, led Chaminade-Madonna Prep with 90 receptions, 1,389 yards and 19 touchdowns this season, leading the Lions to a 14-0 record and third straight state championship. He was also a finalist for the MaxPreps National Player of the Year award.

“[He] checks off box after box for talent evaluators as he has NFL bloodlines and captured gold in both hurdle events at Florida’s 1A state track meet as a junior,” 247Sports director of scouting Andrew Ivins wrote about Smith. “Should be viewed as a future WR1 for a College Football Playoff contender that can handle a high-volume of targets and work a full route tree.”

Jeremiah Smith is the highest ranked Top247 WR Ever! https://t.co/iw7uq1chXo pic.twitter.com/ynlqLr1KHp
— 247Sports (@247Sports) December 20, 2023

Smith’s addition boosts Ohio State to the No. 3-ranked recruiting class in the country behind Georgia and Alabama, respectively. He’s the second five-star player in OSU’s class, joining fellow receiver Mylan Graham.

The Buckeyes’ new WR duo will help fill the void lost by projected 2024 NFL Draft picks Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka, who combined for 102 receptions, 1,663 yards and 18 touchdowns this season.

More must-reads: