Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith became the program’s all-time leader in receiving yards during a 59-3 victory over Kent State on Saturday, and one of the Buckeyes’ most famous supporters quickly took notice.
Smith entered the game needing 26 yards to pass Michael Jenkins’ mark of 2,898 yards, set from 2000 to 2003. He got there on a 23-yard catch from quarterback Julian Sayin in the first quarter, his second reception of the afternoon.
The junior finished with five catches for 85 yards and did not play in the second half as Ohio State pulled away. The performance lifted his career total to 2,958 yards in 33 games.
Ohio State showed a video message from Jenkins on the stadium boards congratulating Smith after the record fell. Smith later posted a photo on Instagram with the caption “LEGENDARY.”
LeBron James, an Akron native and longtime Buckeyes supporter, replied in the comments: “H.I.M. 🤯💪🏾👑.”
Smith said after the game that the milestone was satisfying but not the end of his goals.
“It means a lot. Put a lot of hard work into it. But I have two more to get,” Smith said.
Those remaining marks are the school records for career receptions and receiving touchdowns. Smith now has 179 catches and 30 touchdown receptions. Emeka Egbuka holds the receptions record at 205. Chris Olave’s 35 touchdown catches remain the standard.
Smith needs 27 more receptions and six more scores to claim both. He has already produced two 1,000-yard seasons and ranks among the fastest players in program history to reach these totals.
As a true freshman in 2024 he caught 76 passes for 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns, setting FBS freshman records in yards and scores while helping Ohio State win the national championship. In 2025 he added 87 receptions for 1,243 yards and 12 touchdowns and earned unanimous All-America honors.
James has attended games at Ohio Stadium, cheered the program publicly and narrated a hype video before the Buckeyes’ national title game after the 2024 season. He has called himself an honorary alum even though he went straight from high school to the NBA.
Ohio State is 2-1 after bouncing back from a 24-23 loss at Texas. Smith leads the team with 400 receiving yards through three games this season.
The Buckeyes open Big Ten play Saturday against Illinois at Ohio Stadium. The conference slate later includes trips to Iowa, Indiana and USC along with home games against Oregon and Michigan.
Jenkins needed 41 games to set the previous yards record. Smith reached the same number in far fewer appearances and is already within striking distance of two more program standards.
Smith’s career average sits at 16.1 yards per catch. He has scored 30 receiving touchdowns and added two rushing scores. Purdue’s John Standeford still owns the Big Ten career yards record at 3,788, leaving Smith more than 800 yards behind that conference mark.
The 20-year-old from Miami Gardens, Florida, arrived in Columbus as the top-ranked recruit in the 2024 class. He has started 31 of 32 career games and continues to produce at a high rate even as defenses key on him.
Ohio State’s offense generated 527 yards against Kent State. Sayin completed 18 of 22 passes for 242 yards and two touchdowns. Several other receivers also posted strong numbers, showing the depth around Smith.
The record and the reaction from James arrived on the same afternoon the Buckeyes restored some momentum after their first loss of the year. Smith now turns his attention to the next two lines in the Ohio State record book.
