Jeremiah Smith Featured on EA Sports College Football 26 Standard Edition Cover, Caleb Downs and Ryan Day on Deluxe Edition Cover

By Chase Brown on May 27, 2025 at 11:34 am
Ryan Williams and Jeremiah Smith
X / @EASPORTSCollege
45 Comments

Jeremiah Smith is Ohio State's first EA Sports cover athlete.

EA Sports announced Tuesday that Smith will join Alabama's Ryan Williams on the standard edition cover of EA Sports College Football 26. The sophomore wide receivers are also featured on the deluxe edition cover of the game, which includes Caleb Downs, Ryan Day and more of the sport's biggest names.

Smith and Williams were two of the best wide receivers in college football as freshmen. Smith won Big Ten Receiver of the Year and earned All-American accolades amid a season with 76 catches for 1,315 yards and 16 total touchdowns. Meanwhile, Williams was a first-team All-SEC honoree with 48 receptions for 865 yards and 10 total scores.

In a recent interview with The Athletic's Chris Vannini, Smith and Williams revealed the real-life, on-field skills they would want from each other's games.

“That speed,” Smith said of Williams. “His speed is different. I’ve got a little speed, but I’d take his speed for sure. I need that.”

“He’s a big dog,” Williams answered of Smith. “I wish my hands were bigger. If I had his hands, oh my goodness, it’d be crazy.”

Even without those added or boosted qualities, Smith and Williams deserve to be the cover athletes for College Football 26, EA Sports vice president of strategy and marketing Evan Dexter said in a press release.

"With College Football 26, we're celebrating our sophomore season with two generational sophomore wide receivers on the cover, and we can't wait for the world to experience even more heart and authenticity across athletes, stadiums, coaches and fans," he said.

In the same press release, Smith and Williams shared that they feel honored to be the players users will see each time they load up the game.

"Being on the cover of EA Sports College Football 26 is a tremendous privilege, and I'm proud to represent Ohio State alongside Coach Day while carrying the Buckeye legacy forward, celebrating the passion of our fans and the tradition of this incredible program," Smith said.

EA Sports will share more information about College Football 26 throughout the summer, beginning with the game's first trailer release on Thursday. Fans can pre-order the EA Sports MVP Bundle now, which includes the deluxe editions of College Football 26 and Madden NFL 26 as well as three-day early access to both games.

The inclusion of real-life coaches will be a new feature in the game this year, as only fictional head coaches were included in last year's edition. Other coaches on the deluxe edition cover include Penn State's James Franklin, Georgia's Kirby Smart, Notre Dame's Marcus Freeman, Oregon's Dan Lanning, Ole Miss' Lane Kiffin and Arizona State's Kenny Dillingham.

45 Comments

Judge Claudia Wilken Approves NCAA's $2.78 Billion House Settlement, Colleges Can Begin Revenue Sharing with Athletes July 1

B1G

Four-Star Ohio State Quarterback Commit Brady Edmunds Active in Peer Recruiting, Getting Involved in Columbus Community

Brady Edmunds
View 45 Comments