Jeremiah Smith Off the Field: Ohio State Star Opens Up on Chess, Video Games and Life Away From Football

The Buckeyes’ Superstar Wide Receiver Like You Haven’t Seen Him

Jeremiah Smith’s excellence on the football field is already well-documented to anyone who’s followed college football over the past two years, especially Ohio State fans. But at Big Ten Media Days in Chicago, Eleven Warriors sat down with Smith for a one-on-one interview that went well beyond football, offering a rare glimpse into who Ohio State’s biggest star is away from the game — from his interests in chess and video games to his favorite meals, TV shows, music and more.

Here’s a closer look at Jeremiah Smith’s résumé heading into the interview, what the conversation covered, and why this kind of off-the-field glimpse matters for a player who’s become one of the most talked-about names in college football.

Jeremiah Smith’s On-Field Résumé, By the Numbers

Before diving into life away from football, it’s worth revisiting exactly why Smith has become such a magnetic figure in college sports. The 6-foot-3, 223-pound wide receiver immediately became one of the biggest stars in the country as a true freshman, catching 76 passes for 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns during Ohio State’s national championship season in 2024. He followed that up with an even more decorated sophomore campaign, hauling in 87 passes for 1,243 yards and 12 touchdowns, earning unanimous All-American honors and his second consecutive Big Ten Receiver of the Year award.

That kind of sustained dominance at such a young age is a big reason Smith has become one of the most recognizable names in college football, and why any glimpse into his life away from the field draws so much interest from Buckeye fans and college football fans nationwide.

Football First: Smith’s Most Memorable Moments at Ohio State

Even in an interview built around getting to know Smith off the field, Eleven Warriors made sure to touch on football first, asking Smith to reflect on some of his most memorable moments through his first two seasons in Columbus. Given everything Smith has already accomplished — a national championship as a freshman, back-to-back All-American and Big Ten Receiver of the Year honors — there’s no shortage of standout moments to choose from, setting the stage for a wide-ranging conversation that only expanded from there.

Getting to Know Jeremiah Smith Away From Football

Once the football questions wrapped up, the conversation shifted toward Smith’s life outside the sport, covering everything from his interest in chess and video games to his favorite meals, favorite TV show and the music he listens to. It’s the kind of conversation that gives fans a fuller picture of who Smith is as a person, beyond the highlight-reel catches and touchdown celebrations that have defined his first two seasons at Ohio State.

Superlatives: Teammates, Desert Islands and Ohio State’s Funniest Player

Eleven Warriors also put Smith through a round of superlative-style questions about his Ohio State teammates, including who he’d most and least want to be stranded with on a desert island, along with who he considers the funniest player on the Buckeyes’ roster. Superlative questions like these have become a popular way for outlets to get more personal, off-the-cuff answers from athletes who otherwise spend most of their media availability discussing scheme, film study and game-week preparation — and Smith’s responses offer fans a different side of the locker room dynamic in Columbus.

Celebrity Encounters and Who Smith Wants to Meet Next

Rounding out the interview, Smith also opened up about some of his most memorable celebrity encounters to date, along with the one person he’d most like to meet. For a player whose own star power continues to grow both in Columbus and nationally, hearing about the celebrities who’ve made an impression on him and who he still hopes to cross paths with — adds another layer to the ongoing story of Smith’s rise both on and off the field.

Why This Interview Matters

Profiles like this one matter for a player like Smith, who as a former five-star recruit and back-to-back All-American has spent the better part of two seasons almost entirely in the spotlight for his on-field production. Getting a look at his personality, interests and sense of humor gives Ohio State fans a fuller, more complete picture of the young star who’s become the face of the program — and one of the faces of college football at large heading into a pivotal 2026 season.

Final Thoughts

Jeremiah Smith’s on-field accomplishments will always be the headline, but interviews like this one offer something college football fans don’t get nearly often enough: a real look at the personality behind the production. Between his answers on chess, video games, favorite meals, teammates and celebrity encounters, this conversation gives Buckeye Nation a fuller picture of who Jeremiah Smith is heading into what could be his final and most important season in Columbus.