Chaminade five-star prospect Jeremiah Smith ends suspense, picks Ohio State over Miami
There was no flipping on Wednesday for Jeremiah Smith.
Although there were different hats in a plastic bag that Chaminade-Madonna’s five-star wide receiver recruit brought to his school’s signing day ceremony.
And Smith admitted there were some last-minute nerves and back-and-forth thoughts in his head.
After rampant speculation that Smith, a longtime Ohio State commit, would change his mind and pick either the University of Miami or Florida State, he announced to the crowd gathered at the Chaminade gym that he’d be sticking to his pledge and signing with the Buckeyes.
“It was definitely a close call even as I was sitting there the last two minutes,” Smith said. “I kept thinking ‘Am I staying home or am I going to Ohio State? I wish I could stay home, but Ohio State is the best fit for me right now.”
The suspense built for weeks as to whether Smith would continue the trend of major football recruits flipping their commitments from Ohio State to Miami as fellow Broward County star Jordan Lyle of St. Thomas Aquinas did earlier this week.
But Smith ended that - albeit with a little pause for dramatic effect - while surrounded by friends and family at a decorated table set up in the middle of the Lions’ gym.
“It was really all just based on me and I wanted to go to a place where I think I’ll best be developed as a wide receiver and I think Ohio State is that place for me,” Smith said.
For some time, Smith’s longtime teammates, Jojo Trader and Zaquan Patterson, who signed with UM as expected, said they were trying to persuade Smith to join them at Miami. Smith considered it practically up until the last minute.
“I had a feeling he’d go to Ohio State, but if he had picked Miami, it would have been a blessing,” said Trader, who has played football with Smith since they were 11 years old.
Smith, a five-star prospect, is rated the No. 1 recruit nationally (regardless of position) by 247sports and Rivals. He is also rated the No. 2 recruit by On3, and the No. 7 recruit by ESPN. 247Sports, On3 and Rivals all rank Smith as the nation’s No. 1 wide receiver.
Just a day earlier, Smith was named MaxPreps’ Florida state Player of the Year. He was the second consecutive recipient of the award from a South Florida school, joining Miami Central alum Rueben Bain, now a freshman defensive lineman at UM.
Smith also was named the 2024 CBS Miami Nat Moore Trophy winner, which honors the top high school football player in South Florida.
Smith, who posed with the trophy after the ceremony on Wednesday, finished his senior season with 90 catches for 1,389 yards and 19 touchdowns. His efforts led Chaminade to its third consecutive state championship - their sixth in the past seven seasons - and helped the Lions earn a No. 2 national ranking.
Smith caught 13 passes for 183 yards and a touchdown in his final high school game - a Lions’ 56-0 win over Clearwater Central Catholic.
“Honestly, it doesn’t matter where he goes or who’s in the lineup, he’s going to work his (butt) off and he’s gonna play,” Chaminade coach Dameon Jones said.
Quarterback Cedrick Bailey also ended the suspense surrounding his decision when he signed with NC State, the school to which he had long been committed.
Bailey, a three-star prospect, completed 586 of 870 passes for 9,005 yards, 116 touchdowns and 17 interceptions during his four seasons at Chaminade.
Trader, a four-star receiver, caught 47 passes for 757 yards and 14 touchdowns this past season.
Patterson, a four-star safety, recorded 47 tackles, six interceptions and broke up nine passes.
Three-star running back prospect Davion Gause signed with North Carolina. Gause ran for 4,936 yards and 56 touchdowns during his career.
Defensive lineman Zach Crothers, who had 13 sacks this season, signed with Pitt. Free safety Curtis Janvier signed with FAU. Linebacker Kaleb Stewart signed with UConn.
LYLE STAYS HOME
For nearly seven months, Jordan Lyle had been committed to the Ohio State Buckeyes. But as the early signing period approached, the Miami Hurricanes kept their pursuit of one of this cycle’s top running back recruits who played in their backyard at Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas. It worked. Lyle flipped his commitment from Ohio State to Miami on Monday and made the move official when he signed his national letter of intent on Wednesday morning.
“It’s very exciting to stay home,” Lyle said at a small ceremony at St. Thomas Aquinas on Wednesday. “Growing up, it’s everyone’s dream to represent their city. I’m just happy that I’m able to do that.”
Lyle finished his senior season with 1,376 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns to help St. Thomas Aquinas win its state-record fifth consecutive state championship. This marks the second consecutive season the Hurricanes had flipped a top local running back’s commitment from Ohio State.
Lyle was one of 11 St. Thomas Aquinas football players who signed their national letter of intent on Wednesday, including one of four who signed with the Hurricanes. The other three heading to UM: four-star wide receiver Chance Robinson, three-star safety Ryan Mack and three-star cornerback Romanas Frederique Jr.
Four-star wide receiver James Madison II, who spent the past three seasons at St. Thomas Aquinas after growing up in the Kansas City area, is heading to where it all began after signing with the Missouri Tigers.
And he’s not going to Missouri alone. Two of his St. Thomas Aquinas teammates — linebacker Nicholas Rodriguez and defensive lineman Justin Boford — also signed with Missouri.
Three-star running back Stacy Gage signed with UCF. Three-star cornerback Earl Kulp signed with Purdue. Three-star safety Allen Bryant signed with Pittsburgh. Punter Michael Kern signed with Texas.
MORE SIGNINGS
American Heritage: Xavier Lucas (Wisconsin), Semaj Jackson (Campbell), Jermaine Dalias (USF), OT Jimmy Williams (Louisville); Blanche Ely: Marcel Williams (Marshall); Cardinal Gibbons: Colton Heinrich (Georgia), Mike Merdinger (North Carolina), Jonathan Rodriguez (FIU), Zack Boehly (East Carolina), Auston Francis (Army), Daniel Mincy (Wagner), Devan Taylor (Wagner); Coconut Creek: Hyajah Miller (Toledo), Elijah Cannon (Mississippi State); Dillard: Joshua Lloyd (Western Michigan); Miramar: Shamar Meikle (Oregon State); Plantation: Jaden Williams (FIU); St. Thomas Aquinas: Chance Robinson (Miami), Jordan Lyle (Miami), James Madison II (Missouri), Ryan Mack (Miami), Stacy Gage (UCF), Romanas Frederique Jr. (Miami), Earl Kulp (Purdue), Nicholas Rodriguez (Missouri), Allen Bryant (Pittsburgh), Justin Boford (Missouri), Michael Kern (Texas); South Broward: Chris Wheatley-Humphrey (Miami), Brandon Rabasco (Florida); Western: Tovani Mizell (Kentucky), Davi Belfort (Virginia Tech).
This story was originally published December 20, 2023 at 12:41 PM.
