Jeremiah Smith, Ryan Williams are cover athletes for 'College Football 26'

After lighting up the college football world as true freshmen in 2024, Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith and Alabama wide receiver Ryan Williams will be the cover athletes of "College Football 26," EA Sports announced Tuesday.

Smith was arguably the best player on Ohio State's national championship-winning team in 2024. The first-team All-American set Big Ten freshman records for most receiving yards (1,315) and receiving touchdowns (15) last season.

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

Williams, meanwhile, had 48 receptions for 865 yards and eight touchdowns, being named a freshman All-American as he was 17-years-old for the entirety of the 2024 season.

"As a lifelong fan of EA SPORTS games, being on the cover of College Football 26 is a dream come true," Williams said in a statement. "It was incredible to see myself in 'College Football 25' last year, and now to represent Alabama and share this moment with fans who’ve played EA SPORTS games for years is unreal."

Dating back to the "NCAA Football" iteration of EA Sports' college football video game, Smith will become the first Ohio State player to appear on the standard cover of the game. Williams is the third Alabama player to appear on the standard cover of the game, joining former Crimson Tide running backs Shaun Alexander and Mark Ingram. 

While Smith and Williams will be featured on the cover of the standard version of "College Football 26," the deluxe version will include more players. Penn State