Ohio State star Jeremiah Smith turned down a major payday to return to Ohio State to compete to win Championships.
Ohio State Buckeyes Jeremiah Smith's phone was ringing this offseason. In a world where every single player is an unrestricted free agent every single year, Smith was an incredibly coveted player.
Instead of going through the portal and potentially transferring, Smith decided to stay in Columbus and play for the Ohio State Buckeyes.
It honestly would have been a very natural time for Smith to leave Columbus. The departure of his wide receiver coach, Brian Hartline, and the team coming off of an incredibly disappointing end to the season, no one would have batted an eye.
Add that to what Smith allegedly turned down, his departure from Columbus would have been impossible to argue.
According to Smith, he had opportunities to get over $10 million in NIL money to transfer away from Ohio State. However, one thing that Smith has never been solely about is the money.
Ever since his very first game in Columbus, Smith could have demanded whatever dollar amount he wanted. However, for Smith, it is about winning and competing for championships, nothing more.
In an interview with On3's Chris Lowe, Smith revealed a bunch, but he also added that he came to Ohio State to "win championships, develop as a player and a person, and keep building on this legacy."
Now, don't get it confused, he isn't playing for free in Columbus. He is definitely receiving a very nice and well-deserved paycheck, but he is about so much more than that.
Smith's drive to compete permeates throughout the entire team. Coaches often talk about the good teams being led by their best players, and that is the case at Ohio State.
Ohio State's best player, Smith, is their hardest worker and their most competitive player. Smith is completely and totally addicted to winning and will do anything and everything in his power to make sure the Ohio State wins as much as they can as long as he is playing.
On Saturdays in the fall, Smith is the best player that suits up in the entire country. There is no one better than him, and truthfully, no one will debate that.
If he wanted to, he could have left Columbus for a huge paycheck. Instead, Smith stayed put and is only interested in getting another ring on his finger in 2026.
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