Ohio State's wide receiver Jeremiah Smith is racking up the preseason accolades, recently landing on the Maxwell Award watch list as one of the top collegiate football players to watch this upcoming season. Listed among 80 prospects, Smith stands out as one of only seven wide receivers nominated, a testament to his electric freshman year performance, which saw him break Ohio State freshman records with stats that include 76 receptions for 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns.
In a statement obtained by Ohio State Buckeyes, Smith's phenomenal stats led to a cascade of preseason honors, reinforcing his reputation as the unanimous selection for the Big Ten Preseason Honors list. He also bagged the title of Richter-Howard Wide Receiver of the Year and the Thompson-Randle El Freshman of the Year after his remarkable performance last year.
The Maxwell Award, dating back to 1937 and presented by the Maxwell Football Club, aligns with Smith's status as determined by outlets like Pro Football Focus, which ranked him as the No.1 College Player. As Scarlet and Game notes, past Ohio State stars who have claimed the Maxwell include luminaries such as Howard "Hopalong" Cassidy and Eddie George – both of whom were also Heisman Trophy winners.
The watch list honor follows an already established pattern of excellence for Smith, as highlighted by BuckeyesWire. His outstanding numbers from last season and critical role in Ohio State's national championship run have set a high bar for his sophomore season. The challenge now lies in meeting or exceeding those numbers with a new quarterback set to take the snap.
The Maxwell Award watch list is just the starting point for Smith, who, along with his Ohio State teammates, has their eyes on a prize bigger than individual accomplishments, another national championship. Despite the attention and pressures that come with such early recognition, Smith's focus, for the moment at least, is on the collective goal of returning Ohio State to the zenith of college football success.
