Overview
- Smith delivered a 12-catch, 217-yard, four-touchdown game against Illinois that tied Ohio State’s single-game receiving touchdown mark and pushed his season totals to 33 catches for 617 yards and seven touchdowns through four games.
- The Illinois performance earned him AP National Player of the Week and Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week honors and led sportsbooks to shorten his Heisman odds.
- High-profile endorsements followed the game, with Nick Saban comparing Smith to Julio Jones and former Ohio State receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba likening him to the 'LeBron James' of Buckeye receivers.
- Ohio State coach Ryan Day credited Smith’s mindset, discipline and rare physical traits for his surge, while draft analysts such as Jordan Rodgers argued that positional value makes a wide receiver an unlikely No. 1 overall pick in 2027.
- Smith now faces a tougher stretch of opponents starting with Iowa, and how he performs in those games will shape his Heisman case, NFL valuation, and his place in Ohio State’s receiver legacy.