2027 NFL Draft: Could Jeremiah Smith be the best wide receiver prospect in history?

• Historical baseline efficiency through two seasons: Ohio State phenom Jeremiah Smith has dominated the collegiate ranks with back-to-back elite PFF overall grades of 89.7 and 90.7, firmly cementing his status as a generational playmaker.

• Unmatched ball security among elite modern prospects: Smith has dropped just three of his 166 catchable targets over two years, yielding a minuscule 1.8% drop rate that is less than half that of any top-10 wide receiver drafted over the past decade.

• Vertical traits mirror all-time draft legends: Showcasing rare deep explosiveness for a 6-foot-3, 223-pound weapon, Smith leads all modern tier-one receiver prospects in deep yardage while averaging 3.28 yards per route run.

It is rare to encounter a college football player who can realistically enter his final season with a case as the greatest prospect ever at his position. Yet through two seasons at Ohio State, Jeremiah Smith has at least forced himself into that conversation.

When Travis Hunter and Tetairoa McMillan became the first wide receivers selected in the 2025 NFL Draft, neither was widely viewed as the best receiver in college football. That distinction belonged to the 19-year-old Smith.

The same may prove true for the top pass catchers in the 2026 draft class. When a player projected as a top-five pick like Carnell Tate is not even viewed as the top receiving option in Ohio State’s offense, it becomes clear just how rare Smith’s profile is.

The nation’s top overall recruit two years ago, Smith has somehow exceeded even the loftiest expectations. Across his first two seasons, he has earned PFF overall grades of 89.7 and 90.7 while totaling more than 2,500 receiving yards and 27 touchdowns. He has also averaged an absurd 3.28 yards per route run.