Dylan Raiola and Peyton Woodyard are among the Georgia commits trying to get five-star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith to flip over from Ohio State.
The Georgia Bulldogs may have the No. 1 recruiting class in 2024 so far, but that doesn't mean the likes of Dylan Raiola and Peyton Woodyard are done trying to get other top-flight recruits to come across the country and join them in Athens.
Their latest target might be their biggest one to date. The No. 1 quarterback in the country totally deserves to throw the ball to the No. 1 wide receiver in the nation. Unfortunately, the No. 2 player in the 2024 cycle in wide receiver Jeremiah Smith works for, or is committed to, THE Ohio State University. Keep in mind that Raiola decommitted from Ohio State before committing to Georgia.
Here is Woodyard, a four-star safety from California, trying to get Smith to flip over to the Dawgs.
Might as well shoot for the stars, but getting a wide receiver to spurn Brian Hartline is tough!
Dylan Raiola, Peyton Woodyard trying to get Jeremiah Smith to flip to the G
Look. I don't see anything wrong with going to places like Georgia or Ohio State to play major college football, no matter what part of the country you are from. If you are an elite high school player, you want to go to schools like this that will develop you and prepare you for the NFL, while you contend for championships. Again, not everybody can go play for the same football program…
If Smith were to flip like Raiola did, that would say a lot about Georgia, and maybe even a little more about Ohio State. It would mean that the Dawgs are in the midst of a dynastic run over college football. They may not win another national championship for the foreseeable future, or they could pull off an unprecedented three-peat for all we know this fall. It is so good to be them.
So picking up the No. 1 wide receiver would be right in line for a program that is the two-time defending national champions, as well as one that regularly recruits at a top-five level. What it would mean for the Buckeyes if Smith were to flip is something much, much bigger. Ohio State is where you go play if you want to be a first-round pick in the NFL Draft if you are a wide receiver.
Georgia is great at a lot of things, but developing wide receivers has not been its forte for years. The last first-round receiver to play Between the Hedges was A.J. Green. He was my year, and he was sensational. But 2011 was a long time ago. Just like any prospective recruit, Smith can do whatever he whats. However, Ohio State losing him to Georgia would be a twisting of the knife.
Ultimately, I will believe it when I see it if Smith were to flip to UGA. I am biased, so I would, but I also understand that Hartline is the best wide receivers coach in the game today. He is the Buckeyes' new offensive coordinator. Not to say he would be the guy to take over for an ineffective Ryan Day, but Hartline should be a Power Five head coach sooner rather than later.
Ohio State's proven track record at wide receiver is being tested with Smith's 5-star commitment.