In 2017, Jordan Smith was dismissed from the Florida Gators following a credit card fraud scheme he was a part of. He spent a year at a JUCO school before landing with UAB in 2019. During his time at UAB, Smith was one of the best players in the C-USA conference and posted 89 tackles, 23.5 tackles for loss, 12.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, and an interception in 21 games. Smith is a bit of a raw prospect that may need some time to develop, but he has so much athletic talent that he shouldn’t last past day two next week.
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Player Bio
Name: Jordan Smith
Jersey: #22
Position: Edge Rusher
School: UAB
Class: Redshirt Junior
Height: 6’6”
Weight: 255 lbs
Explosiveness (9/10)
Smith’s first step is dangerous. He has long fluid strides that immediately put pressure on the offensive lineman he is up against. There were plenty of times where he put the linemen in a horrible position right from the start of the snap.
Flexibility (8.75/10)
Despite being 6’6″, Smith has absurd bend. During Senior Bowl practices, he made Alex Leatherwood and Dan Moore Jr.look like fools with his dip move around the edge. Smith did the same thing to get a sack on the second-to-last play against Rice this last year.
Length (9.75/10)
Smith is 6’6″ and 255 pounds. He originally came to Florida weighing 220 pounds but added some weight and gained the 35 pounds, which he now sits. Smith uses his length very well, and it shows.
Run Defense (7.75/10)
Smith is a solid run defender. His length works a bit against him against stronger defenders, but he does a good job of fighting through blocks to get to the ball carrier. Smith can get through blocks easily, but by the time he does, the ball carrier is already by him.
Football IQ (6/10)
Despite his explosiveness and length, Smith is a bit raw in this regard. He was a bit of a liability on read-option plays during the 2020 season, and D’Eriq King worked him in the game against Miami.
Lateral Mobility (8.75/10)
Smith can chase down a play going the opposite direction he lined up on. There were plenty of times where he worked across the offensive line and dragged the ball carrier down behind the line of scrimmage, thanks to his athleticism.
Tackling (7.25/10)
Smith is a bit inconsistent here. There are times where he has no issues, and there are other times where he resorts to ankle tackles that don’t work. Smith was in on a bunch of gang tackle, and there were a few missed tackles that resulted in chunk gains for the offense.
Power (7/10)
If Smith gains a power element to his pass-rush toolset, it will be dangerous. He will get some power off the line in some plays and needs to use his hands a bit more effectively off the line of scrimmage.
Versatility (7.75/10)
Smith can play from both two and three-point stances. His explosiveness is seen more from a three-point stance. Smith projects better as a 3-4 WILL linebacker but can play as a 4-3 end as well. He dropped back into coverage a few times but didn’t seem too experienced in doing so.
Effort (5/5)
It is very rare to see Smith give up on a play. He never stops pursuing the ball carrier and chases him down to try and help with the tackle.
Injury (5/5)
Smith’s injury sheet appears to be clean.
Player Summary
That was a bit unexpected. Smith is on the day two and three barrier in consensus mocks. He is an explosive, lengthy, and flexible prospect that can play any scheme. There is the credit card fraud that resulted in his exit from Florida. Smith has taken full accountability for his actions, and seems to have moved past that and focused on his future. He could be used as a pass-rush specialist during his rookie season while the defensive coordinator develops his coverage skills and refines his processing skills a bit more before playing him in a three-down role. At his current draft stock, Smith is a steal.
Final Grade (82/100): Late Second Round
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