"He does everything well. He's fast, he's physical, he can run routes like a small guy, but with his stature. He's everything you want out of a football player. "

Last week, EA Sports announced that Ohio State Buckeyes sophomore wide receiver Jeremiah Smith was selected as a cover athlete for the popular video game College Football 26, alongside Alabama’s Ryan Williams.

Smith is ranked in the top five on every sportsbook for Heisman odds, is already a national champion, and many believe he could have been selected first overall in the 2025 NFL Draft had he been eligible.

In the second episode of their new podcast, “THE SCRIPT: A Podcast on THE Ohio State Buckeyes,” Cardale Jones, Beanie Wells and Dave Holmes discuss the growing hype surrounding Smith and break down whether it’s justified.

Spoiler alert: They buy the hype.

“When you look at the fact that Marvin Harrison Jr. was fourth in the Heisman with 1,211 yards and 14 touchdowns, and Jeremiah Smith, last year, had 1,355 yards and 15 touchdowns,” Wells said. “That would have put him in that Heisman conversation already.”

In the history of the award, only four wide receivers have won: Tim Brown, Desmond Howard, DeVonta Smith and Travis Hunter. Brown and Howard stood out with their return abilities that boosted their overall production. Hunter, of course, also played cornerback, and his two-way ability was something college football fans had rarely seen, at least at that snap volume. Then there’s Smith, who dominated during Alabama’s national championship run in 2020, recording 1,856 yards, 23 touchdowns and 117 receptions — leading all three categories nationally.

“Does Jeremiah Smith have the ability to do these things? Of course he does! Is it realistic in this day and age for him to get 20 targets, especially with other guys demanding attention and plays in their direction?” Jones said. “I don’t think so. I think the Buckeyes are doing a good job of spreading the ball around. You look at the impetus of bringing back Carnell Tate and Brandon Ennis and adding more depth in the run game just to continue to have talent around Jeremiah Smith so he’s not as big of a workhorse.”

Still, with question marks at the quarterback position — and uncertainty about whether it will be Julian Sayin or Lincoln Kienholz starting Week 1 — will Smith have no choice but to carry the Buckeye offense in hopes of solidifying them as true contenders for a repeat national championship? Time will tell.

“Those four names — Sonny Styles, Lorenzo Styles, Caleb Downs and Jeremiah Smith — but especially Jeremiah,” Jones said, “are more impressive young men than they are football players.”

Whether they’re able to repeat or not, they will be donning the scarlet and gray and carrying themselves in a way that will make all of Buckeye Nation proud.

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New episodes of “THE SCRIPT" drop every Wednesday. Watch on YouTube, or listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get podcasts. Follow us @TheScriptOSU on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok for bonus content.