Miami’s Mario Cristobal thinks Jeremiah Smith could play in NFL right now
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The Miami Hurricanes are feeling good after squeaking by the Texas A&M Aggies in round one of the College Football Playoffs. Led by edge rusher Ruben Bain’s three-sack performance, the Hurricanes set up a pivotal matchup against the No. 2-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes on New Year’s Eve in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl.
Although Miami is happy to advance, head coach Mario Cristobal knows his defense will have their hands full, especially with the Buckeyes’ wide receiving corps. Highlighting OSU standout Jeremiah Smith, Cristobal took his praises a step further by claiming the sophomore standout could play in the pros today.
“He’s an NFL prototype player right now and probably last year,” Cristobal said via Eleven Warriors’ Chase Brown. “He and the entire receiving corps, they pose those types of challenges. Big, explosive, fast, create separation, beat man coverage, find the soft spots in zone, great blockers in the run game, play hard the entire game.”
Cristobal might be right when it comes to Smith’s potential. The sophomore is dominating the college football landscape and has been since his freshman season.
Winning a National Championship in 2024, Smith totaled 76 receptions while leading the Big Ten with 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns. Smith’s production dipped slightly in 2025 due to a quad injury that cost him time late in the season. Despite playing in fewer games, Smith surpassed his previous reception total and still reached the 1,000-yard and double-digit touchdowns plateau.
Unfortunately for Smith, he is not eligible for the NFL Draft until 2027. And unfortunately for Cristobal, he has to concoct a plan to stop Smith in less than two weeks.
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