Jeremiah Smith Reclaims No.1 in CBS Sports Top 150; Widely Topping 2026 Preseason Lists

Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith has been ranked No. 1 in CBS Sports’ College Football Top 150 players entering the 2026 season, the outlet announced in its August rankings. The honor adds to a string of preseason No. 1 placements for Smith this summer across several major evaluators.

What CBS Sports said

CBS Sports published its Top 150 list on Aug. 13, 2026, placing Smith at the summit. The story frames the ranking as part of its season preview coverage and identifies Smith as college football’s premier player heading into the fall.

How the broader consensus stacks up

Smith’s CBS Sports top billing aligns with other high-profile preseason evaluations this summer. Pro Football Focus (PFF) put Smith at No. 1 on its top-50 list for 2026; On3 also listed him as the top player in its Top 100; and ESPN named him the nation’s top wide receiver, according to reporting in SI’s recap of preseason rankings. Those outlets’ write-ups emphasized Smith’s production, postseason performances and matchups against top coverages.

Why evaluators rate Smith so highly

Reporting from Sports Illustrated and other preseason coverage summarizes the arguments used by evaluators:

• Production: Over his first two Ohio State seasons Smith accumulated significant receiving totals that evaluators cite as part of his case. SI reported career figures of 163 receptions for 2,558 yards and 27 touchdowns through two seasons.
• Big-game performance: PFF-style analysis highlighted Smith’s output in high-stakes matchups; SI noted six postseason games against top-10 opponents where Smith recorded 34 catches for 682 yards and six touchdowns, averaging 20.0 yards per reception in those contests.
• Physical profile and matchup versatility: At roughly 6-foot-3 and 223 pounds, Smith is described as having the size to win contested catches and the speed to threaten deep, with PFF calling him a generational talent at the position.

Supporting signals: video game and analyst ratings

Outside of media rankings, Jeremiah Smith was the highest-rated player in EA Sports’ College Football 27 build-up. 247Sports reported that Smith received a 99 overall rating in the game — the only player given the top score in that iteration — a sign of his perceived elite status among roster-modelers and sim-game evaluators ahead of the season.

Ohio State context and outlook

Smith enters 2026 as part of an experienced Ohio State offense. SI’s season preview noted returning quarterback Julian Sayin — who completed 77% of his passes for 3,610 yards and 32 touchdowns the prior season — and a deep receiver room that includes Brandon Inniss and incoming five-star freshman Chris Henry Jr. The Buckeyes also added Devin McCuin via transfer and retained running backs and an offensive line with returning starters, providing multiple complementary weapons around Smith.

Analysts have pointed to an unforgiving schedule that will test Smith and Ohio State early and often. SI cited a Week 2 neutral-site trip to face No. 2 Texas, plus road games at No. 5 Indiana and No. 10 USC and a home matchup with No. 1 Oregon among the tougher assignments on the slate.

Not unanimous, but broad agreement

While several major outlets have placed Smith at or near the top of their preseason lists, those rankings represent evaluators’ projections rather than results on the field. SI noted PFF’s framing that Smith was the only player in PFF history to finish No.1 in consecutive preseason lists alongside Trevor Lawrence — language attributed to PFF’s rankings. On3 and ESPN’s positional ranking for Smith were also reported by SI. CBS Sports’ Top 150 amplifies that consensus but is one of multiple pre-season measures.

Implications and unanswered questions

• Draft outlook: Multiple writeups referenced Smith as a projected top NFL prospect for the 2027 draft class, with evaluators saying NFL teams will closely watch his 2026 campaign, though none of the sources in this packet provide specific draft projections or guarantees.
• Championship ceiling: Smith’s presence boosts Ohio State’s national title hopes, but commentators note the team’s tough schedule and new offensive coordinator’s stylistic changes as variables that could affect outcomes.
• Verification on the field: Preseason rankings are predictive; the definitive test will be how Smith and Ohio State perform during the 2026 season against the schedule referenced above.

Timeline of key preseason signals (summer 2026)

1. Early July: EA Sports’ College Football 27 ratings surfaced, with 247Sports reporting Smith as the lone 99 overall in the game.
2. Early July: PFF released its top-50 list naming Smith No.1 for the second consecutive year (reported by SI).
3. Early–mid July: Other outlets, including On3 and ESPN (positional), placed Smith at the top of their respective lists or rankings (reported in SI’s summary of preseason polling).
4. Aug. 13: CBS Sports published its Top 150 list, placing Smith at No.1.

What we did and did not confirm

This article is based solely on the preseason rankings and reporting contained in the supplied evidence. Facts such as CBS Sports’ Aug. 13 Top 150 placement, PFF and On3’s No.1 rankings, EA Sports’ 99 rating as reported by 247Sports, and the statistical totals and schedule notes cited by SI and other sources in the packet are attributed to those publications. Game results, draft declarations, injuries and in-season performance for 2026 are not part of the supplied evidence and therefore are not reported here.

“He is college football’s best player heading into the fall,” — phrasing used in SI’s reporting summarising the preseason consensus on Smith.

Orbital Affairs’ Sports desk will track Smith and Ohio State through the 2026 season and report developments as verified game outcomes and roster decisions become available.