Jeremiah Smith becomes EA Sports’ first-ever 99 overall at launch, adding to Ohio State’s standout offseason spotlight

Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith is getting a new kind of recognition this offseason, becoming EA Sports’ first-ever 99 overall-rated player at the game’s launch rating release. The distinction places Smith, a featured offensive centerpiece for the Buckeyes, into a category typically reserved for the most obvious stars in college football video game history, and it reflects how strongly the program’s recent top-end production is being noticed beyond the field.

The milestone matters for Ohio State for a simple reason: it is attached to the most visible scouting currency in today’s sports ecosystem, the “overall rating” that fans use as a shorthand for talent. Smith’s designation as a 99 overall player, reported as an EA Sports first at launch, effectively tells the recruiting and fanbase story in one number, that Ohio State’s best playmakers are being treated as elite at the earliest stages of the season cycle.

In the Yahoo Sports report, Smith’s jump is framed as a follow-on to what the article describes as back-to-back dominant seasons in Columbus, with Ohio State and head coach Ryan Day continuing preparations for the upcoming college football season. While the report does not add new on-field statistical details in the preview, it anchors the gaming milestone to a larger trend: Smith’s profile has continued to rise quickly, season-to-season, in a role that puts him in the center of the Buckeyes’ offensive identity.

The timing also positions Smith as a focal point for Ohio State’s offseason narrative. College football recruiting, team-building, and media attention often converge on the same players, and a widely discussed rating update can amplify that convergence. Even in a world of simulations, the underlying effect is the same as it is with awards and watch lists, it keeps a player in the public eye during months when the calendar is comparatively quiet.

What to watch next is how Ohio State manages expectations around its top weapons. Video game ratings can raise the visibility of a player, but they can also tighten the margin for the program’s “next step” in execution. Smith’s 99 overall status sets a high external bar, and the Buckeyes will be judged on whether their offensive production translates into the kind of consistent dominance that made Smith’s stock climb in the first place.

For readers, it is also worth treating this as a sports-entertainment milestone rather than a direct measure of college football performance. The report’s significance is cultural and reputational, not a substitute for the field results that ultimately determine roles, game plans, and postseason outcomes. Still, the fact that EA Sports is using Smith as its first 99 at launch suggests how quickly his brand has solidified.

As Ohio State moves toward the next season, Smith’s presence in both real-world recruiting conversations and mainstream sports media will likely remain constant. The 99 overall label may be a video-game first, but it is also a spotlight that follows a top Buckeyes target into spring and summer storylines, and it will be hard for the team to escape that attention. Meanwhile, fans will be looking for signs that the next version of the Ohio State offense matches the aura that the rating implies.