There were so many ridiculous rumors about Jeremiah Smith leaving Ohio State this offseason, that it probably got to Buckeye fans at some point.
Whether it was Uncle Luke floating rumors about Smith heading back to Miami, or the All-American wide receiver joining Brian Hartline in South Florida, none of it was ever going to happen, and all of it was just an empty way to fill time. More than anything, it showed how little some people know about Smith and his motivation for the 2026 season.
Jeremiah Smith told future 5-star WRs to go play for Brian Hartline recently. Jeremiah Smith understands he could have followed Hartline to Tampa, right?
— Ari Wasserman (@AriWasserman) February 6, 2026
“Yeah, we had a deal worked out,” Hartline joked. “I just decided to tell him that it’s probably better for him to stay at… https://t.co/KA0SRqVKHG pic.twitter.com/dbcPHQPg2U
Jeremiah Smith has unfinished business at Ohio State
All the rumors sound good, and they make for fun message board fodder, but it's likely Smith has one more year of college football, and he's searching for greatness. He doesn't just want to be an all-time great Buckeye — he's already one of those. He wants to be an all-time great wide receiver in college football.
For Smith, that greatness comes from winning and winning as many things as possible. He still hasn't won a Big Ten championship, so he wants one of those. Smith still hasn't won a Heisman Trophy, so you know he wants one of those....or at least wants it to be between him and Julian Sayin for the top two spots. And his primary goal is to help Ohio State win a second CFP championship trophy in three years. These accomplishments would put Smith in a rare group of players in college football.
The best place for him to accomplish that is at Ohio State. Look at what's around him in Columbus. Sayin is a top quarterback in the country. Ryan Day has made staff additions on both sides of the ball that give the players an opportunity to learn from the best and be the most prepared to play at the next level. A program doesn't have the success that Ohio State has had with players transitioning from college to the pros without an amazing structure from top to bottom.
Everything Smith wants is where he is, and everything he wants to do is in front of him. Instead of listening to the rumors, just enjoy the final year of one of the special talents in college football.