Jeremiah Smith Announces Major NIL Deal After Freshman Season at Ohio State

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Rodney Knuppel | Last updated Jul 2, 2025 12:50 PM ET

The college football season is right around the corner, and teams are gearing up for preseason practices. One team that will have all eyes on them in 2025 is the defending College Football Playoff champion Ohio State Buckeyes.

A key returner for coach Ryan Day is 19-year-old wide receiver Jeremiah Smith. In his first season, Smith played 16 games and recorded over 1,300 receiving yards with 15 touchdowns. Now, heading into his sophomore year, Smith is making headlines off the field as well.

The standout receiver announced a new NIL partnership in a bold social media post.

"DIFFERENT❗️Welcome to the three stripes, @primetimejj_.4."

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by adidas Football (@adidasfballus)

Smith is teaming up with Adidas, a surprising move considering Ohio State’s longstanding relationship with Nike.

As reported by Manny Navarro of The Athletic, the Buckeyes signed a 15-year, $252 million deal with Nike back in 2016.

In an interview with Sports Illustrated, Smith explained his choice.

“I’ve been wearing Adidas since I was a young kid, 11, 10 years old,” Smith said. “To be a part of the brand is something special.”

Smith reposted the news of the deal on X Wednesday morning.

https://t.co/Rqq16DmZwq
— Jeremiah Smith (@Jermiah_Smith1) July 2, 2025

Smith is currently ranked third among all college athletes with a $4.2 million On3 NIL valuation. In addition to Adidas, he’s inked deals with Lululemon, Red Bull, American Eagle and Nintendo.

His on-field performance backs up the hype. In the national championship win over Notre Dame, Smith caught five passes for 88 yards and a touchdown. In the quarterfinals at the Rose Bowl, he torched Oregon with seven receptions for 187 yards and two scores.

Smith's star is only rising, and both the college football world and the NIL space are taking notice.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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