Oct 5, 2024; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) runs off the field after beating Iowa Hawkeyes after the NCAA football game at Ohio Stadium. Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Ohio State Superstar Fires Back at Weird Shade from Former Notre Dame RB

Originally posted on Ohio State Buckeyes on SI
By Matthew Schmidt | Last updated Jun 9, 2025 3:15 PM ET

Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith is widely regarded as one of the best players in college football thanks to his brilliant freshman campaign in 2024.

Smith hauled in 76 receptions for 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns last season, helping Ohio State win a national championship.

The Buckeyes defeated the Notre Dame Fighting Irish for the title, with Smith punctuating the victory with a 56-yard grab late in the fourth quarter, essentially sealing the natty for Ohio State.

Well, former Notre Dame running back Jonas Gray apparently didn't think much of Smith's performance in the affair, arguing that Fighting Irish cornerback Leonard Moore put the clamps on the 19-year-old.

Not surprisingly, Smith responded in kind, offering a quick two-word response to Gray's claim.

Yea ok https://t.co/vr5aTl0Uhf
— Jeremiah Smith (@Jermiah_Smith1) June 7, 2025

Smith caught five passes for 88 yards and a touchdown against Notre Dame. Was it one of his most dynamic showings of the year? No, but it's hard to say that Smith was "strapped up" when he still averaged a hefty 17.6 yards per reception.

That's not to take anything away from Moore. He is a terrific young player, but Smith is a different beast, as he displayed many times throughout his debut season in Columbus.

The 6-foot-3 wide out is expected to have an even bigger year in 2025 following the departure of Emeka Egbuka, who was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFL Draft.

Smith — who is not eligible to declare for the NFL Draft until 2027 — will lead a receiving corps that also includes Carnell Tate and some other hungry young playmakers ready to establish themselves.

This article first appeared on Ohio State Buckeyes on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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