It’s anybody’s guess how the 2026 college football season is going to play out.
It’s not even officially summer yet, but it certainly does feel like we’re just days away from kickoff. The NFL has figured out over the years how to make itself a seven-day-a-week, 365-days-a-year product, and college football is right there as well, thanks to the transfer portal, recruiting, NIL and spring ball.
Officially, though, we’re within the 100-day window for college football. The season kicks off on Thursday, Aug 27, in what has officially been dubbed “Week 0.” That Thursday night doesn’t feature the most exciting matchups, but it is actual college football that matters.
In the meantime, we’re left to speculate about the 2026 season, but there is no speculation needed when it comes to some of the talent on the field. We know these guys are the real deal because they’ve already proven it.
That’s why it’s no surprise that in a new On3 ranking of the top-100 college football players heading into the 2026 season, Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith checks in at No. 1 overall.
“Jeremiah Smith is a clear star,” wrote Clark Brooks. “The Buckeye has dazzled fans and frazzled defensive backs as an underclassman each of the last two years. He’s coming off a campaign that produced the nation’s fourth-most yards and fifth-most tuddies. Logging north of 1,000 yards for the third time seems like a forgone conclusion at this point.
Jeremiah Smith has proved to be an elite WR for Ohio State Buckeyes
We know exactly who Smith is after his first two seasons in Columbus. As Brooks wrote, Smith is a star. That’s incredibly clear. Heck, people are already talking about him like an all-time great at the NFL level, and he’s not even played his junior season at Ohio State yet.
Smith was built in a lab to play wide receiver. He has the size at 6-foot-3, 223 pounds, but he combines that with elite speed and athleticism.
The same wideout who can do this:
