Jeremiah Smith says why he did not go to Alabama despite saying Tide was his favorite school growing up

Apr 18, 2026; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State Wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) runs after catching the ball during the annual spring game at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

Jeremiah Smith made headlines recently after stating Alabama football was his dream school at Big Ten Media Days.

“Growing up, my dream school was Alabama when Nick Saban was there,” Smith said, according to Nick Schultz of ON3. “But they wasn’t recruiting me.”

Alabama may not have recruited Smith hard as his recruitment progressed, but the Tide did offer him, and he told Touchdown Alabama the Tide was his dream program after he earned the offer.

“I was excited,” Smith told Touchdown Alabama in February of 2022. “Alabama is a great program and was my favorite school growing up. To hear from them and get an offer is amazing.”

RELATED: Alabama football was 4-Star WR Jeremiah Smith’s ‘favorite school’ growing up

Smith earned five-star status as a prospect, but he committed to the Buckeyes in December of 2022, a full year before he eventually signed to play college football at Ohio State.