Ohio State freshman wide receiver Jeremiah Smith was named to the watch list for the Biletnikoff Award, given to the best pass catcher in college football each year, joining senior wide receiver Emeka Egbuka, who was named on the list in the preseason.
Through his first six games, Smith already has 32 catches for 553 yards and seven touchdowns, becoming the first freshman at OSU to have a receiving touchdown in the first six games of his career. He is also on pace to break Cris Carter’s 1984 records of 41 receptions, 648 yards and eight touchdowns when he was a freshman.
Egbuka leads the Buckeyes in receptions with 40, and has 526 yards for six touchdowns. He is just over a week removed from a career-high three touchdown performance against Iowa on Oct. 5.
He is also on some record chases with 164 catches in his career, just 38 away from becoming the all-time leader at Ohio State. His 2,383 yards are sixth all-time and are 516 yards short from taking the top spot, while his 20 career touchdowns are tied for ninth in program history.
The Buckeyes are not even a year removed from their most recent Biletnikoff winner, with Marvin Harrison Jr. taking the honor after his 2023 season. Before Harrison, Terry Glenn was the only Buckeye wo win the award, doing so in 1995.
