Jeremiah Smith went back to the locker room after Ohio State lost the Cotton Bowl to Miami and was approached by star safety Caleb Downs, who had just played his last college game.Downs had a message for his fellow All-American: “You’ve got to lead this team. They have to hear your voice.”That exchange hit Smith, who had already been a leader at Ohio State. He’s the first freshman to be named an Iron Buckeye, an honor given to the most outstanding Ohio State players in offseason workouts. He was an Iron Buckeye as a sophomore, as well.But most of his leadership came by example, and he knew his mindset had to change for Ohio State to take the next step after losing 11 NFL Draft picks — the second year in a row the Buckeyes led the country in drafted players.Smith is the clear choice as the No. 1 player in college football in The Athletic’s top 100 entering the 2026 season. He has tallied 2,558 yards and 27 touchdowns, the most by a Big Ten receiver in his first two years of college.But there’s a difference between being a superstar player who cares about the team and one who is actively trying to bring even the lowest player on the totem pole to the top with him. And that’s the balance Smith has been working to perfect this offseason.“It’s just thinking bigger, really, and just making sure everybody hears the things I have to say,” Smith told The Athletic. “It’s not just going out and worrying about myself on game day, but encouraging guys, encouraging the O-line, go to the sideline after a bad drive, like, ‘Let’s go, let’s go. We good.’ Things like that.”Dane Brugler: Jeremiah Smith is a 'cheat code'Dane BruglerPeople around the program have taken notice. Smith was named a captain on Saturday for the first time in his career.“He’s done so many great things for us,” coach Ryan Day said, “but I think he wants this year to be his best.”When Smith went home to Miami this offseason, he couldn’t go far without hearing about Ohio State’s quarterfinal loss to the hometown Hurricanes.People often tell him he should’ve played for the Hurricanes. After the loss, the chatter ramped up. He hosted a youth camp, and even kids in attendance held up the “U” hand gesture at him.“I’m like, ‘Wow.’ I’m hitting their hands and stuff like that,” Smith said with a laugh.Smith’s reputation has reached even greater heights than expected since he stepped on Ohio State’s campus in 2024 after a high-profile recruitment.He was already known as one of the best high school prospects of all time, and it didn’t take long to live up to the buzz. He had two touchdowns in his college debut and quickly earned a reputation for impressive catches, including the game-clinching 56-yarder on a late third down against Notre Dame in the national championship.There was no stopping the Smith momentum after that. And it’s been a conundrum for the mostly reserved Smith to deal with at times, because in many ways his persona takes on a life that’s so much different than his.Sure, the 20-year-old is plastered on Red Bull cans and has a KeyBank commercial, and he’s well compensated. (He has said potential transfer portal suitors were offering “over $10 million, easy” to leave.)“I always wanted to be at Ohio State,” Smith said. “It would be dumb for me to leave Ohio State and go to another team when I have the best offensive line in the country, the best quarterback in the country, the best coaches in the country.”Smith is not shy about sharing his individual ambitions. He’s hyper-focused on winning the Biletnikoff Award, which goes to the nation’s top receiver. It’s a trophy he believes he would’ve won already had he not missed a game and a half last year with a quad injury. He also wants to be a Heisman finalist after finishing sixth last year, end his three-year Ohio State career with every receiving record and put up 1,500 yards and 15 touchdowns.He also wants three things for his team: a Big Ten championship (something Ohio State hasn’t done since 2020), a win over Michigan (something Ohio State hasn’t done at home since 2018) and a second national championship in three years after the Buckeyes went from 12-0 to losing their last two games in 2025.If he’s going to reach those goals, Smith knows the quiet freshman had to go. It’s time for Smith to be vocal and lean into the influence he has.“My main focus is trying to make everybody around me better,” Smith said. “That’s what all the greats did — Tom Brady, Kobe Bryant, that’s what LeBron James is doing. So that’s what I’m trying to do. I want to leave the jersey better than I found it.”The pursuit of his best comes in many forms. Through much of his life, Smith has been described as a player who doesn’t make the same mistake twice.That was one of the reasons he was able to make the jump from star high school receiver to starter at Ohio State in just one spring. But there’s no mistake that haunted him more than missing a block that led to a pick six against Miami in the Playoff quarterfinals.It took him weeks to sit down and rewatch that game. When he finally did, it was with new receivers coach Cortez Hankton, who arrived from LSU in the winter after Brian Hartline became the head coach at USF.Smith has bonded well with Hankton in his eight months leading the receiving corps. Off the field, Hankton has helped Smith loosen up and bring the fun of the game back to the 6-foot-4 receiver who treats every moment like a full-time job.It’s one of the ways that Smith thinks he’ll be different on the field.“It’s playing with a lot more swagger, playing free and having fun,” Smith said. “My last two years were just too serious, but this year we’re going to have a lot more fun for sure.”And Smith has pushed Hankton to work with him on the small details of his game. How can he improve that missed block? What can he do to make quarterback Julian Sayin’s job easier? Can his route-running help teammates like Brandon Inniss and Devin McCuin get open?The two have gone over as much as possible this offseason in preparation for Smith’s biggest year yet.“I’m smarter than I was the past two years,” Smith said.It has all led to Smith being one of the most hyped players in the country. He’s played 29 games and is averaging almost 100 yards and just under one touchdown per game. It’s a high standard to hit, but if anybody can do it, it’s Smith, who feels much different than just the physical specimen who was second on Bruce Feldman’s Freaks List.He’s healthier, smarter, faster and has been more intentional about everything he’s doing. His sense of urgency has risen.Why? Smith won’t come out and officially say he’s not returning to college next year, but when reminded that he has two more years of eligibility under new NCAA rules, he laughed and said, “I know, but I think it’s time for me to go.”He’d like to end his run on a high note, without any unfinished business. That includes winning a second national championship in three years.If he does that, Smith may make an argument as the greatest player in Ohio State’s storied history.“After this, I still want Ohio State to be good — I know they will,” Smith said. “But I want people to feel like I left an impact on them.”