Ohio State Buckeyes' Jeremiah Smith Urged to Enter Transfer Portal

The Ohio State Buckeyes saw star freshman wide receiver Jeremiah Smith take the nation by storm during the 2024 college football season. Behind his dynamic playmaking ability and plenty of other elite players, Ohio State was able to win the National Championship on Monday night.

Smith is being projected to be a potential No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft down the road. That alone shows just how good he was during his first season.

He ended up catching 76 passes for 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns. Those numbers average out to a dynamic 17.3 yards per reception.

With that being said, one analyst thinks that he should consider making a drastic move.

Matt Hayes of USA Today suggested that Smith should explore the transfer portal.

"Smith would not only be the first wide receiver selected in this year’s draft, he would likely be picked in the Top 5. In other words, a near identical deal," Hayes wrote. "That’s what a transfer portal move means for Smith. No matter what he’s earning from Ohio State now, he has outperformed it. He can enter the portal and return to Ohio State with a better deal, and we can all still talk about loyalty and lifelong bonds of championship teams. The grand statement can be made that at least one player still values school and money."

"But by entering the portal, he can also see what the market will bring — then go back to Ohio State and see if the Buckeyes will match it. And if they don’t or can’t, he moves on with a championship and memories that will still last a lifetime."

Obviously, this would be a nightmare scenario for the Buckeyes. Even having a chance of losing Smith would be a gut punch.

While the move would make sense if Smith is money hungry, it seems like a bit of a stretch. Smith is in a perfect situation for himself. He is coming off of a monstrous season with an even bigger year two on the horizion at Ohio State.

Jumping into the portal in the pursuit of more money could end up seeing him land in a much worse situation.

Risking his future and the opportunity to continue starring at "Wide Receiver U" with the Buckeyes would be a major gamble. It's something he could consider, but it seems unlikely.

Hopefully, this scenario does not end up happening. Ohio State cannot afford to lose Smith no matter what.