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Indiana’s Curt Cignetti doesn’t hold back on how he views Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith entering his sophomore season

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Brandon Little | Last updated Jul 23, 2025 3:25 PM ET

The Ohio State Buckeyes may have lost 14 draft picks from last year’s National Championship team, but they return perhaps the two best players in college football — Jeremiah Smith and Caleb Downs. Having both back is huge.

Smith, head coach Ryan Day, Downs, and Sonny Styles are in Las Vegas this week for Big Ten Football Media Days. That means fall camp is right around the corner and the season is nearly here.

Another Big Ten coach took time this week to offer high praise for Ohio State’s star sophomore wide receiver.

Indiana HC Curt Cignetti gives ultimate praise to Jeremiah Smith

“You cover him as well as you can and hope the ball is not placed well,” Cignetti said on Tuesday. “I mean, he’s a freak. He’s a great player — the greatest at that position that I’ve seen at that age. He is a weapon.”

"You cover him as well as you can and hope the ball is not placed well.. he's a freak"

I asked Curt Cignetti about Jeremiah Smith, he said he's one of the best receiver's he's seen at that age.

Cignetti said he's similar to Julio Jones but Smith is faster and more flexible: pic.twitter.com/vCuzjK6UCT
— Adam King (@AdamKing10TV) July 22, 2025

Cignetti echoed what many already believe: Smith is the best wide receiver to come through college football in quite some time — maybe ever. As a true freshman, Smith exploded for over 1,300 receiving yards and 15 touchdown catches.

Indiana’s head coach even compared Smith to one of the best to ever play the position in the modern era and a future Hall of Famer.

“Julio [Jones] was also a great player. Very similar. [Smith] is a little looser, more flexible, I think — maybe a hair faster.”

When Smith faced Indiana last season, he recorded just three catches for 34 yards, as Ohio State had firm control of the game by the third quarter. The Buckeyes are expected to have Smith for two more seasons before he makes the jump to the NFL, where he’s projected to be a top-five — possibly even top-three — pick in the 2027 NFL Draft.

He was Ohio State’s top weapon in 2024, and he’ll remain the go-to guy in both 2025 and 2026. Opposing teams know the ball is coming his way, but few have been able to slow him down. One team that has had some success against him is Texas — who Ohio State will face in the season opener on Aug. 30.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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