Jeremiah Smith has signed a name, image and likeness contract with Adidas, but Ohio State’s star sophomore receiver will not be wearing the company’s shoes during games.
Ohio State has a contract with Nike as its uniform provider, and Smith will be obligated to wear that company’s shoes during OSU-related activities. Smith will wear Adidas during non-OSU activities.
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In a post on X, Smith said, “Three Stripes for life.”
“One of the most memorable moments from last season was losing my black stripe and officially becoming a Buckeye,” Smith said in an Adidas news release. “Fast forward a year and I’m blessed to be adding three, joining the fastest brand in football. It’s crazy to be partnering with a brand that has such a talented roster of players and that I’ve been wearing since I was a young kid. We’re not done yet.”
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The top recruit in the 2025 recruiting class nationally, Smith caught 76 passes for 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns as a freshman last season. His 56-yard catch of a Will Howard deep ball late in the fourth quarter against Notre Dame all but clinched OSU’s national title.
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Adidas has also signed NIL deals with OSU commitments Chris Henry Jr. and Kayden Dixon-Wyatt.
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Ohio State football beat writer Bill Rabinowitz can be reached at brabinowitz@dispatch.com or on bluesky at billrabinowitz@bsky.social.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Jeremiah Smith signs with Adidas but can’t wear its shoes during games
