Friday Night Notes: Ohio State lands No. 1 WR, LSU adds another 4-star DB, plus more

Ahead of the early signing period, we’re emptying out the latest recruiting notebook.

USA TODAY High School Sports‘ Friday Night Notes is a weekly high school recruiting recap that looks at the latest news from around the country—from the Class of 2023 to ’24 and beyond.

Ohio State won the recruiting race this week when they earned the commitment of Chaminade-Madonna (Fla.) five-star prospect Jeremiah Smith. He’s ranked the No. 1 wide receiver in the class of 2024 and is the second-best prospect overall in the nation.

Smith (6-foot-3, 185 pounds) joins a program that has become synonymous with producing NFL-level talents at wide receiver. Last year alone, two Ohio State receivers were picked in the top 11 in the draft and there are eight others around the league. Smith has all the tools he needs to join them.

On Thursday, Hayes Fawcett at On3 reported the decision and Smith confirmed the news himself on social media.

Smith is coming off a sensational Junior season, having totaled 58 catches for 1,073 receiving yards and 20 touchdowns. He also got some experience as a punt returner.

He had offers from 38 other schools but chose Ohio State, whose 2024 recruiting class is now ranked No. 6 in the nation – trailing Florida State, Alabama, Notre Dame, Georgia and LSU…