Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith Could Be First Player Taken in a QB-Dominant 2027 Class
In the NFL Draft, positional value comes into play with most of the picks in the top ten. More specifically, the higher the pick is, the obvious takeaway is that the position of the player needs to impact the game more. Quarterbacks, edge rushers, and offensive tackles are the usual picks early.
With a perennial talent like Jeremiah Smith, though, does all of that get thrown out the window?
Smith has already etched his name into the greats of Ohio State wide receivers, as in just two seasons, he has caught 163 passes for 2,558 yards and 27 touchdowns. Smith shattered the OSU freshman record for receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns, along with the record for fastest amount of time to record 1,500 receiving yards in just 19 games.
How high could Smith get drafted?
The easy answer is first overall, but the 2027 draft class is expected to be a better quarterback class than ‘25 and ‘26. Last year, NFL draft expert for CBS Ryan Wilson said that Smith would be taken first in the 2025 draft if he were eligible after his true freshman season.
Next year's class will consist of quarterbacks like Dante Moore from Oregon, Arch Manning from Texas, along with guys who can boost their stock with great seasons like LaNorris Sellers from South Carolina and Darian Mensah from Miami.
Smith might be the most NFL-ready of any prospect, though, at 6'3", 223 pounds, he brings the size, hands, fluidity, and dominance to any team that takes him.
The other part of the draft that is important to remember is how the board shakes out. In this year's draft, it would be surprising to see Smith fall past the second overall pick. In draft history, only three wideouts have been taken first overall, with the last one being Keyshawn Johnson in 1996.
"Next year we're going to have a conversation about whether he'll be the first WR selected with No. 1 since Keyshawn Johnson."
- Bobby Carpenter Show (@BobbyCarpShow) April 18, 2026
-@BillBender92 sees draft night history in Jeremiah Smith's future
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Second overall is not a common pick for wide receivers, either, as that is also a short list of just three full-time receivers (Travis Hunter WR/CB), headlined by Calvin Johnson in 2007.
Smith is the type of talent worth trading up for, too.
The team that has the second or third overall pick in the 2027 draft might be in for a haul if they are willing to give up the pick.
The positional need for those top teams might be mute when a monster like Smith is starting them in the face.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/ohiostate as Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith Could Be First Player Taken in a QB-Dominant 2027 Class.
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This story was originally published April 20, 2026 at 9:00 AM.