'Cheat Code' Jeremiah Smith Shutting Down Season Addressed by NFL Insiders Ahead of 2027 Draft

Jeremiah Smith is the best player in college football and the Heisman Trophy favorite, per FanDuel Sportsbook, and isn't going to quit on the season just because Ohio State has three losses and is on the outside of the College Football Playoff picture looking in at this point.

Dane Brugler of The Athletic called the wide receiver a "cheat code" and reported there was some speculation Smith might sit out the rest of the season following the Buckeyes' third loss so he could prepare for the 2027 NFL draft. But it became clear during Saturday's win over Northwestern that isn't happening.

"That just isn't how Smith is wired," Brugler wrote. "He cares too much about his teammates and legacy, and that competitiveness fuels his dominance."

Northwestern Wildcats - Ohio State Buckeyes Highlights

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Seeing how Smith is a candidate to be the No. 1 overall pick of the draft, perhaps some wouldn't be surprised if he shut things down. However, there is still plenty on the table, including the chance to win the Heisman Trophy and even sneak back into the CFP race.

Ohio State entered Saturday's game No. 20 in the CFP rankings, but No. 11 Kentucky, No. 14 Houston, No. 17 South Carolina, No. 18 USC, No. 21 LSU, No. 22 Missouri, No. 23 Arizona and No. 25 Oklahoma State all lost. The Buckeyes will surely move up in the next set of rankings with two weeks remaining for more chaos to unfold.

They, of course, need to keep winning, and they did that Saturday by targeting Smith early and often against Northwestern.

"I counted 17 targets for the draft's No. 1 prospect, as Ohio State wisely peppered him with passes," Brugler wrote. "The offense is limited with a true freshman quarterback, especially downfield (Smith dusted a corner on one post-corner route, but Luke Fahey's throw was off target). However, Smith consistently got open in the short-to-intermediate game."

Smith also further cemented his place in history by becoming the Big Ten's all-time receiving yards leader:

"He put the entire offense on his back again Saturday, especially in the first half, and just refused to let Ohio State's recent slide continue," Nick Baumgardner of The Athletic wrote. "He's had more impressive days as a college player, on bigger stages, against better competition. But this was quintessential Jeremiah Smith.

"You could point to some of those big days from Ohio State's Playoff run during his true freshman year or his 206 yards against Iowa earlier this season. If you had to use one game to describe Smith, though, this one would at least be on the list. It was a tremendous effort when his team really needed it."

Smith is still on the field for the Buckeyes and will likely remain there unless they are playing in a bowl game outside of the CFP.

And that is bad news for opposing defenses.