The NIL era has opened up a brave new world for college athletes, but the trappings of fame have their drawbacks too.Jeremiah Smith helped lead the Ohio State Buckeyes to a National Championship in his freshman season.GettySmith could be the best player to come out of ‘Receiver U’[/caption]Racking up 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns through the air, the former five-star recruit cemented his status as one of the top receiving prospects in the world.The Florida born athlete is the third-highest earning college athlete in the U.S. right now with $4.2 million in brand value, per On3.He trails only Texas Longhorns QB Arch Manning ($5m) and Miami Hurricanes QB Carson Beck ($4.9m)But in a video with Columbus news anchor Adam King, the 19-year-old revealed the pitfalls of his popularity.“I’m still young so I’m still trying to figure it out…It be kind of hard, I like to go places and go out, so, like Target and like shop and stuff, but I know, being here I can’t really do that,” he said.“It’s been pretty hard for me cuz like I said I like to go out and shop like that, I’ve been doing that since I was a little kid, I like to go out with my friends, every time they wanted to go out to the grocery store I always go.”Jeremiah Smith’s Heisman campaignSmith already has 463 receiving yards and seven total touchdowns this season with Julian Sayin starring under center for the Buckeyes.He is considered a leading contender for the Heisman Trophy and potential top-five pick in the NFL Draft.Combining elite speed and a 6ft 3in, 215-pound frame, Smith has drawn comparisons to hall of Famers Terrell Owens and Randy Moss.The 5-0 Buckeyes are ranked No. 1 and another ring will only add to his reputation.Ohio State produces elite NFL WRsOSU alum Jaxon Smith-Njigba is already tearing up the pros with the Seattle Seahawks and thinks Smith could surpass his achievements.GettySmith is a fearsome blend of size and speed[/caption]GettySmith struggles to go out in public[/caption]“I mean, I think his ceiling is farther than I would say a lot of us,” Smith-Njigba said during an appearance on The Rich Eisen Show, “I would say definitely myself.”“A person that can create and eat at all three levels, and just a competitor. The competitive spirit, you can just see it when he’s out there.”OSU has a reputation for producing superstar pass-catcher with Marvin Harrison Jr. (Arizona Cardinals), Terry McLaurin (Washington Commanders), Chris Olave (New Orleans Saints), Curtis Samuel (Buffalo Bills), Michael Thomas (New Orleans) and Garrett Wilson (New York Jets) all starring in the NFL.The last wideout to win the Heisman was Philadelphia Eagles sensation DeVonta Smith in 2020 and Buckeyes coach Ryan Day thinks that is about to change.“I don’t think it’s even close that Jeremiah Smith is the best offensive player in college football,” he said. “If it’s close, I’d like to know who it is.“But when you’re a receiver, it’s different than when you’re a quarterback. And coverage can dictate different things, but Jeremiah just keeps playing over and over again, has an unbelievable attitude.NFL's Greatest......Ranking the top 10......Quarterbacks of all-time – Can anyone better Tom Brady?Wide receivers of all-time – Does Randy Moss or Jerry Rice come out on top?Running backs of all-time – Stacking Jim Brown, Barry Sanders, Walter Payton, Emmitt Smith and moreTight ends of all-time – How does Travis Kelce compare?“I know the fans appreciate that, but it’s also good to hear, I think, from us coaches just how he practices every day.“And the same thing with Carnell (Tate). Carnell’s seeing Jeremiah do a lot of different things and now you see Carnell take the next step. “But he does that every day in practice. He does a lot of the dirty work. He does a lot of the blocking, and now you’re seeing him show up.”Watch this space.Stay up to date with the latest from the NFL across all platforms – follow our dedicated talkSPORT USA Facebook page and subscribe to our talkSPORT USA YouTube channel for news, exclusive interviews and more.