In 1996, despite considerable efforts to trade the pick, the New York Jets made the incomparable Keyshawn Johnson just the third wide receiver selected No. 1 in the NFL Draft. (And one of those players, Dave Parks in 1964, was more of a hybrid tight end.)

There have been 31 drafts since then, and Johnson remains the last receiver to pull that off.

The topic, however, is sure to be broached at some point during Saturday’s mammoth Ohio State-Texas rematch in Austin, as Buckeyes junior wideout Jeremiah Smith has been the best college football player in America the last two years and arguably will, by a decent margin, be the top-ranked prospect in the 2027 NFL class. On the other sideline will be Texas quarterback Arch Manning (maybe you’ve heard of him), who stands as the current favorite — unless you prefer Oregon QB Dante Moore — to actually be selected No. 1 next spring.

Can the 2027 QB draft class live up to the hype?

Dane Brugler and Madison Eades

Since the NFL-AFL merger in 1966, we’ve seen the No. 1 pick used 30 times on a quarterback (including each of the past four years) but just twice — Johnson in ’96 and Irving Fryer in 1984 — on a wide receiver.

Put simply: NFL teams prioritize QBs at the top of the draft, and they’ll do just about anything to avoid taking another offensive skill position (the last running back taken No. 1 was Ki-Jana Carter in 1995). The Raiders even drafted JaMarcus Russell over Calvin Johnson in 2007 — I’ve got nothing else for that one.

Most agree that Smith is a generational prospect, but can he break through and overtake Manning and Moore for the top spot next spring?

The case for Jeremiah Smith

To be blunt: Smith is the best college wide receiver prospect since at least Julio Jones. They were the most dominant true freshman college receivers I’ve ever seen, and they’re also pretty similar athletically.

Smith is a legit 6-foot-3, 225-pound offensive weapon filled with twitch, agility, body control, IQ and scary speed for his size. There are no limitations here, physically or otherwise. He’s powerful enough to rip through any jam and explosive enough to just run by nearly anyone across from him.

He understands leverage, he’s physical at the catch point, he blocks, and he can stop and sink better than most corners. Not only is Smith out of Central Casting as an X receiver, he could start in the NFL tomorrow as a Z or slot, while also being part of the run game.

The respect corners give Smith in man coverage can sometimes be a bit comical, as players will drift off as far back as possible — only for him to make them stumble anyway as they attempt to react when he snaps off a comeback. In two seasons plus one game, he’s made a combined 171 catches for 2,709 yards and 29 touchdowns, and there has not been a single day when any of this has looked difficult for him.

He had eight catches for 151 yards and two touchdowns during the first half against Ball State last week, capping it off with one of the smoothest ball adjustments (and Heisman poses) you’ll ever see.

Jeremiah Smith touchdown

Nick Baumgardner

If those physical tools were it, they’d be enough to make Smith the best prospect in America. But mentally, Smith is as strong as it gets. Ohio State coaches and teammates rave about his work ethic, which he’s elevated to a point where staffers have had to pull him back at times during practice and offseason drills.

He is a football player who is serious about being a football player. He won’t be publishing any autobiographies next year; he’s never given himself a nickname, and the ones he has (J.J. and Jerry) are boring — not unlike how no one called Calvin Johnson “Megatron” until he arrived in the NFL.

The reason why a team might want to invest in Smith at the top of the draft, even over Manning (or Moore), is because of how much better he can make any quarterback already on the roster. As a true freshman in 2024, Smith recorded 72 catches for 1,260 yards, despite 13.4 percent of the throws he saw being considered off target.

In a class filled with freaky receivers, Smith’s ability to adjust to those poor throws is unmatched.

Jeremiah Smith highlights

Nick Baumgardner

And not only is he capable of circus catches no one else can pull off, but he’s had just three drops in 220 career targets.

He’s shown up in big game after big game, too. In back-to-back playoff performances as a true freshman, against Tennessee and Oregon, Smith had a combined 13 catches for 290 yards and four touchdowns to spark OSU’s national title run. Last year, had eight catches for 144 in the 2025 Big Ten title game and another seven receptions for 157 yards in the Buckeyes’ playoff loss to Miami.

So, why might a team consider Smith at No. 1? Because he’s both the best pure talent and the safest bet in the 2027 NFL Draft class.

Does Manning have more on the line Saturday?

Smith is one of those truly rare prospects who doesn’t have much else to prove at this level. He’s shown up big, on stages like this, many times.

Manning, on the other hand, could use a standout performance.

The bulk of the early cloud that hung over Manning’s 2025 campaign came from how rattled he looked throughout the season opener at Ohio State. Manning made some big-time throws in that game, but he had just 38 yards passing through three quarters. When it ended, with a Buckeyes victory, many NFL scouts began to refocus their Manning evaluations on 2027.

Arch Manning vs. Ohio State 2025

Nick Baumgardner

We cannot erase the past. But this is Manning’s chance to show scouts just how much he’s grown.

A year ago in Columbus, he showed poor footwork, missed reads, rushed throws, and generally played erratic football — and those issues persisted throughout the first half of Texas’ season. The Manning we saw down the stretch, however, played with calmer feet, more consistent throwing mechanics and a lot of confidence. He was a different player during the second half of the year.

Against a lesser opponent last week, Manning wasn’t perfect, but he threw for 305 yards and four touchdowns in an easy win over Texas State. He now has a prime opportunity to start separating himself atop the ’27 QB class from Moore, who also had his share of shaky moments against top defenses last year.

Arch Manning throws

Nick Baumgardner

It’s probable, if not likely, that the team picking No. 1 in 2027 will be in desperate need of a new quarterback. So, in truth, Smith’s shot at being the first pick has less to do with his talent and more to do with the situation of that club.

Interestingly, if you look back at the football landscape in the spring of 1996, the biggest reason why Johnson actually went No. 1 wasn’t entirely about his immense talent or the Jets’ decision-making. At least part of the explanation came down to the fact that college football’s top QB prospect was Peyton Manning, who had just finished his sophomore year and wouldn’t be eligible until the following year. The first quarterback taken in that ’96 draft was Tony Banks, at No. 42.

The upcoming draft class has legitimate QB potential, though, starting with Manning. He can keep proving his case against the Buckeyes.

But the superstar receiver on the other sideline could have a lot to say about the outcome, both Saturday in Columbus and in April at the draft.