On Friday afternoon, countless eyebrows were raised when a stunning report dropped from On3 reporter Pete Nakos. Per Nakos' sources, an unnamed program put a $4.5 million offer on the table for standout Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith to enter the transfer portal.
What in the world? We're not going to speculate on who made the offer, but Ryan Day was not happy about the update, telling Dan Patrick that the NCAA needs to step in and set some guidelines when it comes to team's tampering and reaching out to kids without them being in the portal.
Luckily for Day, it looks like he has nothing to worry about there. While the internet ran wild with the idea of Smith entering the portal and suiting up for a different team next season, he hinted with one single emoji that he has no plans to leave Columbus:
— Jeremiah Smith (@Jermiah_Smith1) January 24, 2025
Jeremiah Smith appears to have shut down rumors he's going to leave Ohio State
Open and shut case? Smith wouldn't have made that post if he didn't want the Ohio State faithful to think that he's loyal to the program and he doesn't want to play for anyone else. Smith is already having a huge week, as he helped the Buckeyes win the natty on Monday night.
Against Notre Dame, Smith had two of the biggest plays of the contest for his side. First, Smith hauled in the game-tying touchdown from Will Howard. Then in the fourth quarter, with Ohio State facing 3rd down and Notre Dame hoping to get the ball back, Smith hauled in a 57-yarder from Howard to seal things for OSU.
If Smith were eligible for the NFL Draft, he'd no question be a Top 5 pick, as he's already a superstar in the making. He lived up to his 5-star hype for the Buckeyes in Year 1 and he's ready to build on things in 2025. For a few minutes, people from other fanbases were dreaming of Smith making plays for their favorite team. Not going to happen, though, as it looks like he's staying with Ohio State.