‘That’s the guy right there’ - Jeremiah Smith is adding fuel to the fire of hype around one Ohio State freshman with star potential

Week 2 went about as expected for the Ohio State Buckeyes, as the nation’s No. 1 team looked the part in a lopsided win over Grambling State. The Buckeyes cruised to a 70-0 victory, rotating through all three quarterbacks and giving plenty of snaps to their depth. With Grambling and Ohio up next on the schedule, both games are viewed as opportunities for Ohio State to get valuable reps for its younger players.

Several Buckeyes made the most of their chances. Freshman linebacker Riley Pettijohn scored a defensive touchdown and forced a fumble, while freshman running back Bo Jackson found the end zone twice. Star wideout Jeremiah Smith didn’t hold back in his praise for Jackson.

Jeremiah Smith gives glowing review of freshman Bo Jackson

“That’s the guy right there. I’ve been saying it since spring—Bo Jackson is next up, for sure,” Smith said after the Week 2 game. “He’s a tough, tough running back. Fast. I mean, he can do it all. Me and him were working out together in the offseason, and I was like, yeah, this guy is going to be the next great running back to come through.”

Jackson is currently the No. 3 running back on the depth chart, but he might be the most naturally gifted of the group—even as a freshman. Against Grambling, he carried the ball nine times for 108 yards and a touchdown. That included a 51-yard burst up the sideline where only a well-angled tackle from a safety kept him out of the end zone. His very first collegiate touch was an 11-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.