Paul Finebaum didn’t flinch when asked if Jeremiah Smith is the best player in college football will be this upcoming season.

“That he is,” the SEC Network analyst said about the Ohio State star on ESPN’s “Get Up” on Wednesday. “He’s so good. … It’s incredible he has to stay in college with all the convoluted rules.”

As a freshman last year for the Buckeyes, Smith hauled in 76 passes for 1,315 yards and 15 scores.

The biggest issue, Finebaum said, moving forward with Smith is getting the dynamic playmaker the ball more, citing a failure to get him the ball enough in games last year against Michigan and Texas.

“I think that will change this year, but he is, without a doubt, the best player in the game,” Finebaum said.

On Tuesday, at Big Ten Media Days, Ohio State coach Ryan Day was asked about the next step in Smith’s development.

“If you look at him, you’ve seen him where he’s gotten bigger and stronger and faster than he was last year,” he told the gathered media. “He was at workouts the other day, and Mick (Marotti) constantly says during our warmups, ‘He’s the first guy every time we run through and we’re warming up.’ The first guy every single time. He just sets such a standard. You don’t need to motivate Jeremiah.”

Mark Heim is a reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim. He can be heard on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5 FM in Mobile or on the free Sound of Mobile App from 6 to 9 a.m. daily.