Tag: Jeremiah Smith

LeBron James ‘can’t wait to see’ elite Ohio State commit Jeremiah Smith

Jeremiah Smith, the Ohio State commit ranked No. 1 high school recruit in the nation, got love from LeBron James on social media.

Elite high school wide receiver prospect Jeremiah Smith has been growing a large fan base. With his combination of speed, athleticism, strength, and hands, he has risen up the rankings and become the No. 1 recruit on the 247Sports Composite. Even top athletes have taken notice of the Ohio State commit.

LeBron James, an outspoken fan of the Buckeyes, quote-tweeted a two-and-a-half-minute highlight video of Smith expressing his excitement to see the next great Ohio State receiver take the field.

“Can’t wait to see him in Scarlet & Gray,” the Los Angeles Lakers star tweeted, sharing the video link to his audience of 52.7 million followers.

It’s easy to see why LeBron likes him. Smith is incredibly smooth, whether he’s breaking out of a tackle, running in open space, or Mossing a defender. His rise up the rankings has been punctuated by both 247Sports ranking him as the No. 1 player in the class, while both On3 and Rivals have him at No. 2 (Rivals has not updated since August).

Smith quote-tweeted James’ tweet in acknowledgement of the love being shown:

Smith broke out as a junior, recording 1,098 yards and 20 touchdowns in 14 games. He has continued his stellar play as a senior, recording 1,083 yards and 16 touchdowns in just 11 games, according to MaxPreps.

He has been a key part of Chaminade-Madonna’s (Hollywood, Fla.) spectacular season. The team is 11-0 and ranked No. 2 in the Super 25 national rankings. Smith has recorded at least one touchdown in every game, and he recorded 17 receptions, 321 yards and three touchdowns against 10-1 Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.) in September.

Chaminade-Madonna is entering the regional finals, where a victory would send them to the state semifinals. Smith will work to finish his high school career strong — and James will be watching.

Florida still in the race for 5-star WR after recent visit

Five-star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith remains committed to Ohio State, but he’s still considering the Orange and Blue after his recent visit.

Florida’s recruiting staff probably didn’t expect a loss when they organized an unofficial visit with five-star wide receiver (and Ohio State commit) [autotag]Jeremiah Smith[/autotag] over the weekend.

Smith saw the Gators fall to the Arkansas Razorbacks in overtime, but the loss didn’t sour his view of the Orange and Blue, according to Swamp247.

“It was probably the craziest atmosphere I’ve seen all year long,” Smith said. “I like the way the offense was looking today with how Eugene Wilson was looking as a freshman. He’s gotten a lot of playtime and got two touchdowns in a big game like that. I mean, that is super big, and something I am looking at. I just had a great time today.”

Smith is ranked No. 1 overall in the class of 2024 and would be a Day 1 starter with most programs. There’s no doubt that Napier would find playing time for him as a freshman, as long as he continues to earn his opportunities.

“Coach Napier, the offense isn’t the problem,” he said. “The offense is looking good to me. That isn’t a problem I am worried about. It’s something they show week in and week out, that the offense can out up points and score touchdowns. That is not the problem right now. Where I am looking at is a place that feels comfortable with me, and that is really it right now.”

Flipping Smith won’t be easy, even if he insists that Florida is still in play. There’s not much more the Gators can do to convince him to back off his Ohio State commitment, but UF and FSU remain in the race as in-state options closer to home.

An upset against the Seminoles might be enough to convince Smith to change his mind at the last moment with the early signing day just a month after the regular-season finale.

With or without Smith, the Gators are pacing to finish the 2024 cycle with a top-five class. The South Florida receiver would be the cherry on top of an exciting class.

Smith is ranked No. 1 overall on the On3 industry ranking, which uses a weighted average of all four major recruiting services. 247Sprots ranks him No. 1 overall, On3 and Rivals have him at No. 2 and ESPN is the lowest on him at No. 7 nationally.

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Ohio State football commit Jeremiah Smith is showing why he is the nation’s top recruit

Jeremiah Smith has three touchdown catches already for Chaminade-Madonna.

It isn’t even halftime yet and Jeremiah Smith has three touchdown catches. The five-star wide receiver, an Ohio State football recruit, is showing why he is the nation’s top high school player.

And why the recruiting services need to wake up and make him the No. 1 recruit in the nation.

Smith, a wide receiver out of Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood, Florida), is the most complete wide receiver to come out in quite some time. He has the requisite size (6-foot-3, 198 pounds), very good speed and possesses excellent balance, footwork and agility.

An excellent route runner, he uses his frame well and consistently comes down with contested catches.

Chaminade-Madonna, ranked No. 2 in the nation in the USA TODAY HSS Super 25, is up 44-0 on Lakewood (St. Petersburg, Florida) at halftime. This touchdown is spectacular, but shows the subtle ability to stop his route, turn, and then powerfully shrug off a defensive back for a touchdown.

It’s some pretty nice balance to get into the end zone on this touchdown catch.

With what presumably is going to be a win this weekend, Chaminade-Madonna will improve to 10-0 on the season.

Top-ranked recruit will be in attendance for Arkansas game

Five-star wide receiver from Opa Locka, Florida will visit UF during the Arkansas matchup.

Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier has been showing off his recruiting expertise this season by having a weekly guest list of highly-touted prospects at home games.

This week, the Gators will host the Arkansas Razorbacks in the school’s first-ever blackout game, and the top prospect in the nation will be in-house for the SEC battle.

Five-star wide receiver [autotag]Jeremiah Smith[/autotag] announced he’ll be in Gainesville for the matchup following his game in St. Petersburg on Friday.

Smith committed to Ohio State in December 2022 but the Florida coaching staff is hoping to flip the blue-chip prospect before the end of the season.

The Gators have been in touch with Smith and the program believes he’d be perfectly paired with an incoming five-star quarterback.

“Really just telling me to come in, be a program changer with DJ Lagway,” Smith said. “They need that X receiver for next year. I think they got a couple guys going to the league or something like that next year.”

Smith says there would be a lot of benefits at Florida and even got advice from a Gators legend.

“Me come in, Florida would help me not only on the field but off the field,” Smith said. “They got strong alumni, so Florida is a great school not only for football, but for academics as well. I got to meet with Brandon Siler after the game. He telling me the ins and outs. Telling me what Florida can do for me if I chose to go there.”

Smith plays for Chaminade-Madonna Prep in Opa Locka, Florida. He is rated as a five-star receiver, ranking at No. 1 across the board and making the most valuable recruit in the 2024 recruiting class.

The Florida Gators face off against the Arkansas Razorbacks on Saturday at noon EST. The Gators will be showing off their new all-black uniforms on ESPN2.

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Miami commit Joshisa ‘JoJo’ Trader shines as No. 3 Chaminade-Madonna rolls big

JoJo Trader produces a special touchdown catch for Chaminade-Madonna.

All that future Miami Hurricane wide receiver Jo Jo Trader does is catch touchdown passes. That’s what it seems like at least, when watching the future Miami Hurricane perform for Chaminade-Madonna on Friday night.

Chaminade-Madonna is ranked third in the nation in the latest USA TODAY High School Sports Super 25 and they continued their hot streak with an impressive 55-20 win over Dillard (Ft. Lauderdale, Florida) on Friday night.

The usual stars were out for this loaded team, with Chaminade-Maddona boasting the best wide receiver tandem in the nation in Trader and Jeremiah Smith, a player who might just be the top recruit in the nation.

And while Smith has been turning in impressive performances all season, it was Trader’s chance to shine on Friday night. Trader is a four-star wide receiver and a top 50 recruit in the nation according to 247Sports.

He had two touchdown catches, with the second one being a thing of beauty:

 

Nice hops from Trader in addition to good body control to come down with that in bounds. He utilized his size and length on this play.

Trader did so against some good coverage.

Smith, for the record, had a touchdown catch in the game as well. With the win, Chaminade-Madonna is now 7-0.

Gators student section welcomes 5-star recruit to The Swamp

Members of the Florida Gators student section made a sign in an attempt to flip a five-star prospect.

The fans in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium were put through a doozy of a football game on Saturday night, but the Florida student section did their best to assist the football program on the recruiting trail.

A handful of attendees on the east side of the Swamp used a tarp, orange and blue paint and a simple phrase to catch the eyes of the top-rated wide receiver in the class of 2024.

No. 2 overall prospect [autotag]Jeremiah Smith[/autotag] was in attendance for the matchup with the Florida Gators and Charlotte 49ers. The fans heard the news and went all in to welcome the high school senior.

The Florida fans wrote, “JEREMIAH 2 THE SWAMP” and spread the banner before halftime.

Smith is a five-star prospect out of Chaminade-Madonna High School in Hollywood, Florida. 247Sports lists him as the No. 1 wide receiver in the nation, standing at 6-foot-3-inches and weighing 198 pounds.

As of right now, the highly regarded prospect is committed to the Ohio State Buckeyes, but it’s never too late to flip a recruit.

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Nation’s top WR recruit will be at Florida for Charlotte matchup

The Florida Gators are hosting Jeremiah Smith, the No. 1 ranked receiver in the class of 2024, on Saturday.

The Florida Gators are getting the nation’s top wide receiver recruit, [autotag]Jeremiah Smith[/autotag], on campus Saturday for the Charlotte game, according to Swamp247.

The Gators have been after the Chaminade Madonna (Hollywood, Florida) pass catcher for months in an attempt to flip him from his Ohio State commitment. Five-star quarterback DJ Lagway has been a key piece in the effort to flip Smith, and he’ll be on campus Saturday as well.

UF most recently hosted Smith in July, just ahead of the August dead period. Florida State and Miami are the other two schools still pushing for the in-state recruit. He’ll visit the Hurricanes for the Georgia Tech game (Oct. 7) and Florida State for the Miami game (Nov. 11) . Smith also has a visit to Ohio State locked in for Oct. 21.

His recruitment should “go down to the deadline,” but he’s still a future Buckeye at publishing time. The expectation is for him to sign during the early period.

The Gators would use Smith as an outside “X” receiver and in the slot. The player comp Billy Napier gave him was Calvin Ridley, whom he coached at Alabama.

Smith is ranked No. 1 overall on the On3 industry ranking, which uses a weighted average of all four major recruiting services. ESPN is the most bearish on him at No. 9 overall, but he’s firmly in the top two everywhere else.

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Watch: Ohio State wide receiver commit Jeremiah Smith catches one-handed touchdown

WOW!!! The Buckeyes are reloading at wide receiver once again #GoBucks

It’s a really safe bet to say that [autotag]Ohio State football[/autotag]’s wide receiver room is going to be churning out high level talent for the foreseeable future.

The group known around Columbus as Zone 6 is bringing in another elite group of prospects in the 2024 recruiting class headlined by Florida’s [autotag]Jeremiah Smith[/autotag].

On Thursday night, Smith’s Chaminade high school team played on ESPN and they didn’t disappoint. All of their touchdowns were scored in the first half, relying on their defense to hold on to secure the win.

Smith had a good game, highlighted by this ridiculous one-handed touchdown grab which you can see below.

Up first, the broadcast angle.

Now for the sideline shot, which gives you a much better view.

Smith is now ranked as the No. 1 prospect in the 247Sports Composite Rankings in the 2024 class and he’s he’ll be in a scarlet and gray uniform. It should be fun.

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Highlights: Chaminade-Madonna takes down Miami Central in fight of top-5 teams

Chaminade-Madonna football staved off Miami Central in a game with explosive first-half offenses and then dominant second-half defenses.

The high school football scheduling overlords blessed us early in the season with heavy hitters facing off on Thursday, a national matchup between two top-5 teams in the Super 25 as No. 3 Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood, Fla.) took on cross-town Miami Central (Fla.)

The Chaminade-Madonna Lions staved off the Central Rockets with a 31-28 that consisted of a high-powered offensive dual in the first half, defensive dominance from both sides in the second, and a weather delay that forced a pause of almost two hours.

The teams combined for 52 points in the first half as Chaminade-Madonna quarterback Cedrick Bailey, a North Carolina State commit, passed for four touchdowns, two of which were caught by five-star Ohio State commit Jeremiah Smith. On the other hand, the Rockets went to the ground, as three players rushed for touchdowns. At one point, Central held the lead but finished the half trailing 31-21.

Central shut out Chaminade-Madonna in the second half. The team could barely make up any ground because the Lions’ defense matched them step-for-step, trading interceptions and punishing offensive players.

The Rockets managed a third-quarter touchdown, but neither team scored in the fourth quarter and Central spoiled the chance to tie with a missed 26-yard field goal attempt.

In the end, after an explosive first half, the defense sealed the game. Three-star Chaminade-Madonna safety Curtis Janiver, a Florida Atlantic commit, had two interceptions, including one with less than a minute and a half remaining to put the game away.

Chaminade-Madonna maintained its spot as the best team in Florida and improved its record to 5-0 as Central fell to a 1-2 record that completely misses the mark on how good of a team it is — its two losses are both to top-3 teams, with this three-point defeat at the hands of the Lions and a four-point loss to No. 2 Bishop Gorman.

Central’s schedule is brutal. Chaminade-Madonna made a case as not just a top-3 team but maybe a top-2 or top-1. Once again, thank you to the schedule overseers for putting this rotation together.

SCORES:

National

Super 25

After Thursday night, is future Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith the No. 1 player in the nation?

Ohio State football commit Jeremiah Smith was tremendous again on Thursday night.

It’s time to have a real conversation that Ohio State football commit Jeremiah Smith might be the top recruit in the nation. The future Buckeyes wide receiver is turning in big performance after big performance.

And, after Thursday night, Smith has had yet another big performance in a battle of two teams ranked in the USA TODAY HSS Super 25 football rankings.

A class of 2024 recruit, Smith was tremendous on Thursday night for No. 3 Chaminade (Holywood, Florida) in a 31-28 win over No. 5 Miami Central (Miami, Florida).

The five-star wide receiver had two touchdown catches including a spectacular one-handed grab where he showed incredible coordination and body control.

It is hard to not begin thinking of Smith as possibly the top recruit in the nation. Not only are his statistics gaudy (he came into the game with 516 receiving yards and seven touchdowns in the season’s first four games) but he is consistently making big plays.

These are the kind of plays that project well to the Big Ten and Ohio State next year.

 

Smith isn’t simply overpowering opposition, as top recruits often do at this level. He is playing at a different level with uncontested catches but also repeated instances of battling for balls and coming down with clutch catches.

He is using the entirety of his 6-foot-3, 200-pound frame as well as his great length to make the kind of catches that he will need to make on Saturdays next fall.

A consensus five-star recruit, three recruiting services have Smith as the second-best player in the nation. There is only one outlier as ESPN has Smith as the ninth-best recruit in this class.

But if Smith hasn’t already made a convincing case, he could very well be the No. 1 recruit in the nation by the time signing day rolls around.