Jaxon Smith-Njigba Drops ‘LeBron James’ Comparison for Ohio State Star Jeremiah Smith

The Ohio State Buckeyes have produced enough elite wide receivers to make any comparison within their own history difficult. Jaxon Smith-Njigba knows that better than most, and even he believes Jeremiah Smith has separated himself from a lineage that includes Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson and Cris Carter.

While appearing on NFL on CBS, Smith-Njigba was asked about Ohio State’s latest superstar receiver. His answer went beyond ordinary praise. The former Buckeyes standout compared Smith’s presence and expectations to LeBron James, arguing Ohio State has simply never had another receiver quite like him.

“Oh man, we have seen great talents coming through Ohio State,” Smith-Njigba said. “The Chris Olaves, Cris Carters, the Garrett Wilsons. We really haven’t seen a guy like Jeremiah Smith. He’s like LeBron James, so to speak, and the pressure is on him.”

That comparison carries extra weight coming from Smith-Njigba. He remains one of the greatest receivers in Ohio State history after his record-setting 347-yard Rose Bowl performance, and he has continued Ohio State’s wide receiver pipeline at the NFL level. For him to separate Smith from the stars who came before him says plenty about how extraordinary the junior has become.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba Says Jeremiah Smith Can Stamp Ohio State as WRU

Smith-Njigba’s praise was not limited to Smith’s physical ability. He pointed specifically to how the young receiver has handled enormous expectations, something that has followed him since he arrived in Columbus as one of the nation’s most celebrated recruits.

“He seems to respond week after week and handle it with class and maturity,” Smith-Njigba said. “He has been putting on for us. We like to say we are Wide Receiver U, and I think he’s definitely going to stamp that.”

That might resonate most with Ohio State fans. Smith does not have to establish the Buckeyes’ receiver tradition by himself. Olave, Wilson, Carter, Marvin Harrison Jr., Smith-Njigba and others already created one of college football’s deepest pedigrees at the position. Smith is instead threatening to become the player who takes that reputation to another level.

His latest performance only strengthened the argument. Smith caught 12 passes for 217 yards and four touchdowns against Illinois, tying Ohio State’s single-game touchdown reception record while producing one of the most dominant games by a Buckeyes receiver.

Calling any college player the “LeBron James” of his sport creates enormous expectations. But Smith-Njigba’s point was not simply about hype. It was about how Smith continues meeting expectations that would overwhelm most players.

This article was originally published on HEAVY

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