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Jeremiah Smith headlines Ohio State list of four Iron Buckeyes

Spencer-Holbrookby: Spencer Holbrook03/13/26SpencerHolbrook

COLUMBUS — Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith already had two Iron Buckeyes honors to his resume from his first two seasons with the Buckeyes.

Might as well become one for a third straight offseason, so he did. Smith was named one of the four Iron Buckeye honors handed out by the football program, Ohio State announced Friday evening.

The news comes as the program heads to a week-long spring break after just two sessions of spring practice.

Of course, Smith isn’t the only Ohio State star named as an Iron Buckeye from this winter. He’s joined by fellow wide receiver Brandon Inniss, who was a team captain last season and will return as a starter, returning starting safety Jaylen McClain and third-year linebacker Garrett Stover.

The former three are all returning starters for the Buckeyes. The latter, Stover, has only contributed on special teams through two years at Ohio State, but he clearly made the most of his winter workouts the last couple of months before spring ball. And his inclusion as an Iron Buckeye will help him as he pushes for a role in James Laurinaitis’ linebacker room.

Smith and Inniss will help set the tone for a changed wide receivers room, which is under new management under receivers coach Cortez Hankton. Brian Hartline, of course, left that post to become the head coach at South Florida this offseason. The pair of Iron Buckeyes will be tasked with leading an impressive group that blends new transfer additions with talented young pieces.

And for McClain, he’s taking over the leadership role for the safety room in a post-Caleb Downs Ohio State defense. It’s critical for McClain to set the tone for his group that includes Duke transfer Terry Moore, Florida State transfer Earl Little Jr. and the quickly rising Leroy Roker, among others.

Until the captains are named in August, the Iron Buckeyes will set the expectations for the entire roster through the spring and into summer. All four earned the honor on Friday after a great winter of workouts.