Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith scores a touchdown against Oregon on Jan. 1. Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Watch how Ohio State star Jeremiah Smith trains with a Red Bull drone quarterback

Originally posted on NIL on SI | By Michael Ehrlich | Last updated Aug 15, 2025 4:09 PM ET

As a defending National Champion, All-American and EA Sports College Football 26 cover athlete , Ohio State sophomore wide receiver Jeremiah Smith has all eyes on him as he leads the Buckeyes on their quest to repeat. But with a still yet to be named - starting quarterback throwing him deep balls this season, Smith leveraged a major NIL partnership to take part in some unique training.

Smith signed with Red Bull as their first NIL football athlete a year ago and he has prepared for the new season by training with one of the brand's drones. According to Red Bull, the drone mirrored football patterns at speeds up to 50 miles per hour and even dropped footballs from above, pushing Smith's agility and reaction time to the limit.

After a couple of incompletions - more on the quarterback than Smith - after a sip of his go-to energy drink, the Buckeye star was able to haul in a touchdown adding to his freshman year totals of 76 catches, 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns.

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Smith - named by Out2Win as the most marketable Fall sport athlete - is poised for another All-American season for the Buckeyes. Off the field, he has built an impressive NIL portfolio that outside of Red Bull and EA Sports, includes the likes of adidas, Nintendo and the Mark Wahlberg Auto Group, among others.

Smith and the No. 3-ranked Buckeyes kick off their title defense in one of the top opening games in history - hosting No. 1 Texas - on Aug. 30.

This article first appeared on NIL on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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