Cris Carter evaluates where Jeremiah Smith can improve, potential ceiling

Talent recognizes talent. In an interview with Kyle Odegard, Ohio State legend Cris Carter weighed in on Buckeyes’ wide receiver Jeremiah Smith‘s standout freshman campaign.

“We’ve had a lot of great receivers, and he lines up with the best receivers we’ve had. He has no ceiling,” Carter said. “He’s a young player who is very athletic, big, strong. Short-area quickness will get better. His intermediate and short route-running will only get better as a 19-year-old. There is no ceiling to how good he can be.”

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Carter’s words carry authority. While playing wide receiver for the Buckeyes from 1984-86, Carter was a First-Team All-Big Ten selection twice and a consensus All-American for his efforts in his final season with the program.

With any luck, Smith will have brought home similar hardware when his time at Ohio State comes to an end. The former five-star prospect has tallied 71 catches for 1,227 yards and 14 touchdowns this season — team-highs in the latter two categories.

Texas was forced to key in on Smith in the Cotton Bowl Classic after he erupted for seven catches, 187 yards and two touchdowns in the Buckeyes’ 41-21 blowout win over Oregon in the College Football Playoff semifinals.

Smith’s 187 receiving yards were the most by a freshman in a single game in program history, shattering Cris Carter’s previous record of 172 yards.

While the performance was Smith’s most impressive yet, it was far from his first standout showing. Smith also hauled in six catches for 103 yards and two scores in OSU’s win over Tennessee in the opening round of the CFP.

Although it’s never fun for a player when the opposing defense keys in on them, Carter emphasized it’s important for Smith to remember the more attention he draws, the more success his teammates will have.

“There is very little you can do,” Carter said. “But you do know if there are all of those people accounting for you, the number count for the rest of the offense will be better, and other players should have a good day.

“You have to remain patient, and you have to be able to make the plays that are made available for you. He had a 50/50 ball early in the game and he misjudged it. That could have been the difference in the game.”

On Monday, Jeremiah Smith will have one more chance to build on his legendary freshman season. Ohio State and Notre Dame will square off at 7:30 p.m. ET in the CFP National Championship. The game will air live on ESPN.