Jeremiah Smith is already being called “Generational,” and get this, he is locked in as a top-three pick for the 2027 NFL Draft. This wide receiver class has been hyped like crazy since these guys stepped on campus in 2024, with five-star studs like Smith, Cam Coleman, Ryan Coleman-Williams, T.J. Moore, and Ryan Wingo all making an impact from day one. But two years in, the talk isn’t all rainbows; for most of them, that early hype has turned into some serious questions.
Jeremiah Smith Is Already Playing a Different Game
Seriously, what more can you even say about Jeremiah Smith at this point? The dude, a 6-foot-3, 223-pound junior from Ohio State, is not just a top-three grade, he’s going to be the first non-quarterback drafted. Honestly, the buzz is he probably would have been the first non-QB taken in each of the last two drafts if he could have declared. We are talking about a freak athlete with elite ball skills, only three drops on 166 career catchable passes, and route-running chops that are just refined as heck. He is the real deal, a true X-receiver, and yeah, some folks are already calling him “Generational.”
Cam Coleman Has the Tools, But the Tape Needs to Catch Up
Then you’ve got Cam Coleman out of Texas, who’s another five-star X-receiver with all the physical gifts. This junior is 6-foot-3 and around 204 to 210 pounds, a total size-speed outlier. His tape shows him consistently blazing past cornerbacks, moving like a gazelle with ridiculous bounce and flexibility. He runs the route tree of a smaller guy, and his body control with the ball in the air is mind-melding, with an insane catch radius. Physically, he might be the closest thing to Smith in this class, but here’s the rub: he’s not quite there on physicality or route salesmanship. Veteran corners figured out where he was going way too often. The Auburn offense and quarterback situation definitely hurt his production, but it wasn’t the only reason. Coleman’s got top-10 talent, but the tape just isn’t quite top-10 yet.
This Class Is Deep, But It’s a “Prove It” Year For Many
Beyond the top dogs, you have guys like Charlie Becker, the 6-foot-4, 208-pound junior from Indiana who cemented himself as Fernando Mendoza’s go-to guy last year after barely playing early on. He’s got a Round 1 early grade as a three-star recruit. But let’s be real, for all the talk about this being a “most-hyped” receiver class in recent memory and boasting a 9/10 class strength rating, the big picture is clear: outside of Smith, this group “could be special, but at the moment it still has a lot to prove.” These guys are juniors, and the clock is ticking for them to show they belong in the elite tier. Teams are watching, so let’s see who steps up big time this season!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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