Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith, Caleb Downs top-rated players in EA Sports College Football 26
According to leaked early rankings for the game, which will be released July 10, wide receiver Jeremiah Smith is the top-ranked player regardless of position. Smith checks in with a 98 overall rating.
One of his teammates is right behind him. Junior safety Caleb Downs has a 96 player rating, one spot higher than anyone else in the game.
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Both players are projected to be future top-10 NFL draft picks.
Formerly the No. 1 recruit nationally, Smith signed with the Buckeyes as part of the 2024 class and made an immediate impact. As a freshman, he caught 76 passes for 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns while holding down a critical role on Ohio State's national championship team and rewriting the record books for first-year Buckeyes receivers.
Ohio State has recently offered a scholarship to his younger brother, Angelo, a three-star safety prospect according to 247Sports.com in the class of 2027.
Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) celebrates with offensive lineman Donovan Jackson (74) after a touchdown catch against Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the first quarter during the College Football Playoff National Championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on January 20, 2025.
Smith is also on the cover of the game, sharing that honor with Alabama's Ryan Williams.
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Downs displayed two-way ability as a sophomore during the 2024 season, both as a safety and as a punt returner. According to Pro Football Focus, Downs played more than 1,000 snaps for the Buckeyes last year. He was a unanimous All-American in his first season with the Buckeyes after transferring from Alabama.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith, Caleb Downs top-ranked players in new game
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