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Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith admits rival school tampered with him

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Grey Papke | Last updated Mar 30, 2026 3:10 PM ET

Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith admitted he was the victim of tampering during the offseason when a team tried to lure him away even though he never entered the transfer portal.

Smith said Saturday that one team in particular made a major effort to get him to leave the Buckeyes, but he was never seriously tempted.

“I wasn’t surprised. I knew especially at the end of (the Cotton Bowl) that a certain program was going to come at me very hard,” Smith said. “Not gonna say no names. I think everybody here knows who it was. But I wasn’t goin’ nowhere.”

Jeremiah Smith was asked about the offers he may have received this offseason to leave Ohio State. He said there was never a moment he considered leaving, although he wasn’t surprised to see a certain program make a big push.

“I think everyone here knows who it was,” he said. pic.twitter.com/oBCSfgysbv
— Dillon Davis (@DillonDavis56) March 28, 2026

While Smith doesn’t name names, it is likely he was referring to the Miami Hurricanes. Smith is a Miami native, and the Hurricanes have not been shy about offering big money in the transfer portal.

Smith’s comments underline the challenges major programs face in terms of keeping their stars. While Smith resisted overtures from elsewhere, that is not true of everyone, and some have likely entered the transfer portal for a new destination without their previous school ever knowing they were contacted. Dabo Swinney called out one specific school for this.

Smith made 87 catches for 1,243 yards and 12 touchdowns last season for the Buckeyes. He will probably draw some Heisman Trophy hype in 2026.

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

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