The Ohio State Buckeyes put together a reported $5 million package to keep star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith in Columbus. It shows how far programs are now willing to go in the NIL era. Smith’s reported package became one major piece of a much costlier Ohio State roster, which is now valued at nearly $43.5 million.
Think of a team like a family budget, where the entire Ohio State roster cost around $35 million last year. When rival schools wave $10 million offers to poach your best player, securing Smith sets a new baseline for everyone else. This dynamic forced the Buckeyes to stretch their total roster value to nearly $43.5 million just to keep their championship core intact.
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At this point, the WR is a favourite to win the Heisman Trophy. He recorded 1,243 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns in 13 games. He became one of the few Buckeyes to cement 1000 yards in 2 back-to-back seasons. However, the youngster still displays loyalty towards his team and aims to win a College Football Playoff national championship with the Buckeyes. One of the main schools rumoured to be hellbent on making Smith jump ship is the WR’s hometown, Miami.
“No reason to go back home, not when I’m at the best place in the country,” Smith said. “I came to Ohio State for a reason, to win championships, develop as a player and a person, and keep building on this legacy. I might have grown up in South Florida, but I’m a Buckeye. That’s not changing. I wasn’t going anywhere.”
Although football brings in a lot of revenue, the growing NIL arms race across college football is coming into focus. To retain money for football, many schools have cut off programs with no revenue. Just like Smith, franchises are ready to pay big bucks for the poaching of elite players.
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Miami Hurricanes reportedly threw a massive $6.8 million offer at Ty Simpson in an attempt to lure the Alabama quarterback into the transfer portal, even after he declared for the NFL Draft, hoping to delay his final decision and bring him to Miami.
Why is Jeremiah Smith being eyed for a transfer?
Jeremiah Smith is an elite, generational talent. Many now regard him as the best offensive player in America and the blueprint for what a true freshman wide receiver should look like. The offense of the Buckeyes relies heavily on him. Ryan Day, the head coach of the Buckeyes, often compares the WR to LeBron James for his unique size combined with an amazing skill set and discipline. When the story of being offered 10M surfaced, Day was in complete shock.
“I’m not sure what crazy is anymore,” Day said. “People say, ‘Crazy,’ people say, ‘Wild West,’ people say a lot of things. I agree with what everybody’s saying. It’s a challenging time, but we’re trying to figure it all out. This is unprecedented times for sure, there’s no question about it.”
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Curt Cignetti, who was the WR coach of Alabama in his previous years, compared Smith to Julio Jones.
“I coached Julio (Jones), yes. Julio was also a great player at Alabama. Very similar. This guy (Jeremiah Smith) is a little looser, more flexible. I think maybe a hair faster,” Cignetti said. “You cover him as well as you can and hope the ball is not placed well. I mean, he’s a freak. He’s a great player, the greatest at that position that I’ve seen at that age. He’s a weapon.”
Jeremiah Smith dominated during spring practice and positioned himself for what many expect to be a “legendary” sophomore season.
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