Jeremiah Smith Will Win the 2026 Heisman Trophy: Why He’s the Best Player in College Football

This Isn't an Ohio State Take

Take Ohio State out of the equation. Forget the scarlet and gray, forget the recruiting rankings, forget the expectations that followed Jeremiah Smith into Columbus and forget the fact that he plays for one of the biggest programs in college football. Just watch him play. There is no player in the country who consistently looks more dominant, more complete or more capable of changing a football game than Smith.

That is why this isn't a prediction based on fandom. It isn't even really a prediction based on potential anymore. Smith has reached the point where the conversation should be much simpler: he is the best player in college football right now, and the Heisman Trophy should go to the best player in college football. If that principle actually matters, Smith should be the favorite—and, by the end of the season, the winner.

The Numbers Are Only Part of the Story

Smith's production is already forcing his name into the center of the Heisman conversation. Through Ohio State's first five games, he has posted 44 receptions for 823 yards and nine touchdowns, numbers that would be impressive for an entire season for some receivers. Smith has done it before the calendar has even reached the heart of conference play.

But the statistics don't fully explain what makes him different. Defenses know where he is. They know Ohio State wants to get him the football, and they still struggle to keep him contained. Smith can win vertically, dominate at the catch point, create after the catch and turn routine plays into explosive gains. The numbers are evidence of his dominance, but the tape is what makes the argument overwhelming.

Defenses Don't Have an Answer

The easiest way to understand Smith's value is to watch what opposing defenses do when he lines up. Defensive coordinators can't simply treat him like another receiver and move on to the next assignment. His presence can dictate coverage, force safety help and create opportunities for everyone else on the field before he even touches the football. Against Iowa, Smith was even able to turn a pass into triple coverage into a 54-yard gain, an absurd example of what happens when his physical ability meets an opportunity.

Even Ryan Day has essentially admitted that conventional coverage rules don't quite apply to Smith. When discussing how Julian Sayin should approach throwing to his star receiver, Day joked, “If it’s one-on-one, he’s open. If he’s double-covered, he’s sort of open. If he’s triple-covered, he’s covered.” The joke is funny, but the message behind it is serious: Smith demands so much attention that even double coverage isn't necessarily enough to take him away. And if a defense sends three defenders toward him, someone else is going to be wide open. That is the definition of a player who changes a game before he ever gets the football.

He Looks Like the Best Player on the Field

There is a difference between being a great college football player and looking like a professional athlete playing against college competition. Smith falls into the second category. His size, speed, strength and body control give him an unusual physical advantage, but his understanding of the position is what turns those tools into consistent production.

He doesn't need to be the fastest player on every snap or make a spectacular catch every time he touches the ball. His consistency is part of what makes him special. He creates separation when he needs it, uses his frame when he doesn't have separation and understands how to position himself against defenders. The result is a player who doesn't simply make big plays—he makes difficult plays look routine.

The Quarterback Argument Doesn't Scare Me

The biggest obstacle standing between Smith and the Heisman may not be another player. It may be history. The award has overwhelmingly favored quarterbacks and running backs, largely because those positions naturally produce the statistics that voters have traditionally associated with individual dominance.

But that shouldn't matter. If Smith is the best player in the country, his position shouldn't count against him. The Heisman isn't supposed to be a quarterback award, a running back award or a statistical volume award. It is supposed to recognize the most outstanding player in college football, and Smith's case becomes stronger when you evaluate the actual impact he has on games rather than simply comparing passing yards to receiving yards.

This Isn't Just About What Smith Can Become

For years, young stars are discussed primarily through the lens of their potential. Smith doesn't need that conversation anymore. He entered college with enormous expectations, but he has already moved beyond being the next great thing. He is producing like one of the best players in the sport while facing the expectations that come with playing for Ohio State.

That distinction matters when evaluating his Heisman candidacy. Voters don't have to imagine what Smith might look like at his peak. They can watch what he is doing right now. The argument isn't that he will eventually become an elite NFL receiver or that he could someday dominate college football. He is already dominating college football. The remaining question is whether his performance will remain impossible to overlook through the biggest games of the season.

He Has Already Proven It on the Biggest Stage

If anyone wants to argue that Jeremiah Smith is simply piling up numbers against lesser competition, the Texas game should end that conversation. Ohio State walked into Austin ranked No. 1 in the country to face No. 4 Texas, and Smith was the best offensive player on the field. He finished with eight receptions for 164 yards and a touchdown, averaging 20.5 yards every time he caught the football. Ohio State ultimately lost 24–23, but Smith delivered against one of the most talented teams in the country, in one of the biggest games of the season.

And that performance wasn't an isolated moment. After five games, Smith has 44 receptions for 823 yards and nine touchdowns, averaging an absurd 18.7 yards per catch. He has also followed the Texas performance with 217 yards and four touchdowns against Illinois and 206 yards and two touchdowns against Iowa, meaning his production has continued to explode as the competition and spotlight have increased. The Heisman race will ultimately be decided by what happens over the rest of the season, but Smith has already demonstrated something every candidate needs: when the lights get brighter, his performance gets bigger.

The Heisman Race Should Be About the Best Player

There will be other legitimate candidates. There always are. Quarterbacks will put up enormous numbers, running backs will produce highlight-reel performances and another player could emerge over the second half of the season. That's what makes the Heisman race interesting.

But being open to other candidates doesn't mean refusing to make a judgment. Right now, Smith has the strongest argument because he combines production, physical dominance, consistency and defensive attention in a way few players can replicate. The question shouldn't be whether a receiver can win the Heisman. The question should be whether any other player is actually playing better football than Jeremiah Smith. Right now, the answer is no.

Jeremiah Smith Will Win the 2026 Heisman Trophy

I'm making the prediction now: Jeremiah Smith will win the 2026 Heisman Trophy. Not because he plays for Ohio State. Not because he was one of the most highly regarded recruits in recent memory. And not because it would make for a good storyline. He will win because, when the bias is removed and the football is what matters, he is the best player in the country.

Smith still has work to do before the trophy is handed out. He has to stay healthy, maintain his production and deliver when Ohio State reaches the games that define a season. But those are requirements for every Heisman candidate. The bigger point is that Smith has already established the foundation of a winning campaign. If the Heisman Trophy truly belongs to the best player in college football, there is no reason to overthink this. Jeremiah Smith is that player—and by the end of the season, he will be holding the trophy.