Welcome to the Skull Session.
Got memes?
Think the guys had fun with the memes pic.twitter.com/ov9zmC0ztI
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) June 11, 2026
Have a good Friday.
HE WAS NO. 1! The Worldwide Leader ranked Jeremiah Smith the No. 1 wide receiver in college football entering the 2026 season. (Quite the hot take! I know!)
ESPN’s Eli Lederman and Max Olson named the Ohio State star the top pass catcher in the sport, polling more than 20 front office personnel across college and pro football — including general managers, player personnel directors and scouting directors. The result? Near-universal praise for the Buckeye standout.
“Seeing him on the sideline, it’s unbelievable,” one GM said. “I couldn’t believe his physical makeup, his body, just how athletic he is. It was nuts.”
“He checks all the boxes,” added a director of player personnel whose team faced Ohio State last season. “I would be surprised if he wasn’t the first non-quarterback off the board in next year’s NFL draft.”
According to ESPN Research, Smith leads the FBS with 2,258 receiving yards and 27 touchdowns since the start of the 2024 season. Lederman and Olson also noted that no player in Ohio State’s storied wide receiver history has reached 200 catches, 2,000 yards, and 25 touchdowns faster.
When Smith leaves to become a top-two NFL draft pick next fall (and he shouldn’t be No. 2!), he will end up as the greatest wide receiver in school history — if he’s not that already. With a full season still ahead, the 6-foot-3, 223-pound alien is just 43 receptions away from Emeka Egbuka’s record (205), 341 receiving yards from Michael Jenkins’ mark (2,898), and nine receiving touchdowns from Chris Olave’s record (35).
Once he clears those milestones, the debate won’t be much of a debate at all: He’ll be the GOAT of WRU.
BUCKEYE FOR LIFE. Bryson Rodgers is not one of ESPN’s top wide receivers in 2026, but he is one of my favorite pass catchers entering the college football season, if only because of a social media post he made Wednesday.
Even after transferring from Ohio State to USF this offseason, Rodgers still hates That Team Up North.
its still that team up north for life. buckeyes. pic.twitter.com/zXQqKVuMoB
— Bryson Rodgers (@IBryson13) June 11, 2026
Once a Buckeye, always a Buckeye.
THE BEST IN THE B1G. Ohio State was well-represented in Phil Steele’s preseason All-American teams, with preseason National Offensive Player of the Year Jeremiah Smith, Julian Sayin, Austin Siereveld, Luke Montgomery, Earl Little Jr. and Dalton Riggs all earning recognition.
Each of those Buckeyes also headlined Steele’s preseason All-Big Ten squads, where Ohio State led the conference with 16 total selections, including five first-teamers, five second-teamers, five third-teamers and one fourth-teamer.
| First Team | Second Team | Third Team | Fourth Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| RB Bo Jackson | QB Julian Sayin | C Carson Hinzman | K Connor Hawkins |
| WR Jeremiah Smith | OG Luke Montgomery | OT Phillip Daniels | |
| OT Austin Siereveld | DT John Walker | DE Qua Russaw | |
| S Earl Little Jr. | LB Payton Pierce | DE Kenyatta Jackson Jr. | |
| LS Dalton Riggs | CB Devin Sanchez | LB Christian Alliegro |
Ohio State placing four offensive linemen across the first three teams — Siereveld, Montgomery, Carson Hinzman and Phillip Daniels — stands out as a major indicator of what could be a dominant unit up front. If that group comes to fruition in 2026, the Buckeyes will be a problem for everyone.
MONEY, MONEY, MONEY… MONEY! Kirk Herbstreit is now on Cameo. For the low, low price of $349… goodness gracious… For the low, low price of $349, the former Ohio State quarterback and current ESPN college football analyst will send personalized messages, from birthday wishes and pep talks to roasts and congratulations.
Hi! I’m now available on @BookCameo! If you’re looking for a Father’s Day shoutout, a birthday, a pick up me up for someone, whatever you got, let me know on Cameo. You never know but Peter might even make a ‘cameo’ himself in my video for you. Looking forward to seeing what…
— Kirk Herbstreit (@KirkHerbstreit) June 8, 2026
No disrespect to Herbstreit, but what?
$349 for a personalized video is diabolical.
Now, I would never tell you what to do with your money. It’s your hard-earned dollars — or “soft-earned dollars,” as 97.1 The Fan’s Anthony Rothman and Matt Hayes sometimes call it. Still, it’s worth considering what else that money could buy. A solid lower-bowl or strong upper-deck ticket to a premier Ohio State game. Or three or four tickets to a lower-profile matchup. A signed jersey or helmet from a current or former Buckeye. A full Nike Ohio State apparel refresh. Or even a nice dinner with drinks and tickets to a Blue Jackets or Crew game in Columbus.
The trade-off is pretty simple: you’re either buying a personalized two-minute video or you’re getting a gameday experience, a full sports weekend, or a wardrobe upgrade.
I’m taking the latter every time.
And that’s not a knock on Herbstreit or Cameo. It’s just hard to square the value when $349 can still buy you a Saturday in Columbus that you’ll actually remember when the video loses its relevance.
SONG OF THE DAY. "Drink Water" - Jon Batiste, Jon Bellion, Fireboy DML.
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