Ohio State is not quite as stacked as they were in 2024 when they broke their title drought and won the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff. They still have the best player in football on offense and defense, according to PFF. That might not be enough to win them a second straight title in the NIL era, but it's surely enough to keep them in title talks all season. No one else can boast that sort of star power.
Jeremiah Smith was a prospect with massive expectations, and he impossibly lived up to them in his freshman season. PFF's Max Chadwick wrote, "Smith was the most valuable receiver in college football in 2024, according to PFF WAA. His 89.8 PFF receiving grade ranked third and is more than four points higher than any other returning wideout."
At 6'3" and 215 pounds, he has an incredibly "refined skill set" for someone who is not yet 20 years old. Chadwick didn't mince words, "He's the best player in college football." He was one of them last year, and most of his primary competition for that title has gone to the NFL. He's PFF's pick for Preseason OPOY, naturally.
On the other side of the ball, Chadwick picked Caleb Downs for Preseason DPOY, Smith's OSU teammate. "Downs would’ve had the title of 'the best player in the country' if it weren’t for his teammate," the analyst said. "He’s the top returning player at his position for the second year in a row, joining an exclusive list of players who have done so."
According to PFF's wins above average metric, Downs has been the most valuable safety in the sport for the last two years. "His 91.7 PFF grade in that span is second among all FBS safeties, while his 91.2 coverage grade is third," Chadwick noted. "Downs is also a fantastic run-defender with 35 run-defense stops and an 88.5 run-defense grade since 2023." He's also a dynamic punt returner, so there's really nothing Downs can't do, which makes him the best defensive player in CFB.