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Alabama WR claims he can be better than Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith

That's a pretty bold goal that he has for himself.
ByRyan Stano|
Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) scores on an 87-yard touchdown catch during the first half of the NCAA football game against Grambling State at Ohio Stadium on Sept. 6, 2025.
Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) scores on an 87-yard touchdown catch during the first half of the NCAA football game against Grambling State at Ohio Stadium on Sept. 6, 2025. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Jeremiah Smith is the pinnacle of wide receivers in college football. Not only is he the best player on the Ohio State football team, but he is the best player in college football. He showed everyone how dominant he was during the College Football Playoff as a freshman in 2024.

Last week against Grambling State, he reminded everyone just how elite he is. He had five catches for 119 yards and two touchdowns against the Tigers. He probably could have had more if the Buckeyes hadn't decided to bring the backups in for the second half. Smith is the best receiver in the country.

Despite that fact, Alabama receiver Ryan Williams believes he will have something to say about that this year. In a recent interview with ON3, he acknowledged that Smith had the better freshman season, but he is hoping this year he can "flex".

Ryan Williams believes he can be better than Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith

Williams certainly has a lot of faith that he can be better than Smith, despite what Smith was able to accomplish as a true freshman a year ago.

Williams makes the second-most money of any wide receiver in the country, also behind Smith. Quite frankly, that's the way it should be. Smith is the most valuable player in the country, and his NIL money should reflect as such. That doesn't mean Williams is horrible by any means.

However, Williams is already way behind Smith's pace in 2025. He has just five catches for 30 yards in two games this season. Smith surpassed that total against Texas in the season-opener. It seems pretty far-fetched that Williams will have a better year than Smith at this point.

If Williams were truly a transcendent talent, he'd be able to help his team win in tough games. He would also be able to put up big stats against a bad team like UL Monroe. In two games, Smith already has 11 catches for 162 yards and two touchdowns. He shows no signs of slowing down.

Alabama has a lot of problems on its roster, although Williams shouldn't be one of them. Yet, he is taking a lot of criticism from his fanbase for his slow start. Smith, in contrast, can do no wrong for fans of the Ohio State Buckeyes. Everyone knows he's the Buckeyes' best player because he's so impactful, even when he's not getting the ball.

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