If everything goes according to plan during the 2026 College Football season, Ohio State Buckeyes receiver Jeremiah Smith will be the No. 2 overall pick in the 2027 NFL draft. That's USA Today's Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz's take on the matter, anyway.
Per Middlehurst-Schwartz, who projects Smith to land with the Miami Dolphins, "Taking a wide receiver this early certainly isn't part of the roster-building playbook to which Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan subscribed when he was with the Packers. Smith, however, is no ordinary pass catcher. The Buckeyes star has looked pro-ready since he arrived in Columbus, setting himself apart from his peers with his 6-3, 223-pound frame and elite track record for coming down with contested catches. This would make Smith the highest-drafted pure receiver since Calvin Johnson went No. 2 overall in 2007, but he looks fully worthy of such a lofty investment."
Where Smith lands isn't relevant right now. Who knows what twists and turns the league is about to see this fall? The more important part is that Smith is the consensus No. 2 cornerstone for NFL draft scouts behind Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning.
Jeremiah Smith has a chance to leave lasting impact on NFL scouts in Week 2
After securing a 14-7 win over Texas in Week 1 of the 2025 season at the "Shoe," Smith and the Buckeyes will travel to Austin in Week 2 for the home-and-home rematch with the Longhorns at DKR Stadium.
All eyes will be on that game. It's not only the first marquee matchup for both powerhouses, but the head-to-head between Manning and Smith/Julian Sayin will allow fans to get a look at the NFL's future.
Smith can make a lasting impact during that game. Deflating an away crowd with spectacular game-breaking offensive plays could potentially move Smith into consideration for the No. 1 overall pick if the team choosing at the top of next year's draft doesn't need a QB.
Truth be told, Smith probably already has that now. Look at 2026 NFL mock drafts from a year ago, though, and you'll see that the games need to be played to justify a player's reputation holding up for a full year.
Smith needs to provide production to stay at the top of these kinds of lists/mock drafts. Luckily, no one doubts his ability to do that before being taken off the board as one of the first names called by Roger Goodell next April.
Add us as a preferred source on Google