OSU's Jeremiah Smith Signs Adidas Sponsorship Contract Ahead of 2025 CFB Season

After taking the college football world by storm as a true freshman last season, Jeremiah Smith is cashing in on his fame with an endorsement deal from Adidas.

Adidas announced on Wednesday that the Ohio State star has joined its family of athletes.

Nike, which has a sponsorship deal with the Buckeyes, offered Smith his own NIL deal.

Per The Athletic's Manny Navarro, Smith turned down Nike's proposal in favor of the offer from Adidas.

"I’ve been wearing Adidas since I was a young kid, 11, 10 years old," Smith told Navarro of his decision. "To be a part of the brand is something special."

Financial details of Smith's deal with Adidas are unknown at this time.

Per On3.com, Smith is the most valuable non-quarterback in college sports with a $4.2 million NIL valuation. The only players ranked ahead of him are Arch Manning ($6.8 million) and Carson Beck ($4.3 million).

Smith, the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2024 freshman class, originally committed to Ohio State in December 2022. He broke multiple Buckeyes receiving records in his first season, including receiving yards by a freshman (1,315) and most touchdown catches in a season (15).

The 19-year-old also dominated throughout the College Football Playoff to help Ohio State win the national title. He recorded 381 yards and five touchdowns on 19 catches in four playoff games.

In addition to his status as arguably the best receiver in college football, Smith boosted his profile in May when he was revealed as a cover athlete, along with Alabama's Ryan Williams, for EA Sports' College Football 26 game.

Even though he can't enter the NFL draft for two more years, Smith showed so much ability as a true freshman that ESPN's Jake Trotter noted prior to this year's draft that several pro scouts said he would have been a top-five pick in 2025 if he were eligible.

Smith and the Buckeyes will kick off the 2025 season in a marquee matchup with Texas at Ohio Stadium on Aug. 30. These two teams met in the College Football Playoff semifinal in January, with Ohio State earning a 28-14 win.