From now until the 2025 NFL Draft, we hope to scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, all the way down to Day 3 selections and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Southern Methodist running back Brashard Smith.
SENIOR BOWL PARTICIPANT
NO. 1 BRASHARD SMITH, RB, SMU (SENIOR) – 5097, 194 POUNDS
MEASUREMENTS
| Player | Ht/Wt | Hand Size | Arm Length | Wingspan |
| Brashard Smith | 5097/194 | 8 3/4 | 30 1/2 | 74 |
| 40-Yard Dash | 10-Yard Dash | Short Shuttle | 3-Cone | |
| 4.39 | 1.58 | N/A | N/A | |
| Broad Jump | Vertical | Bench Press | ||
| 9’9” | 32.5 | N/A |
THE GOOD
— Great play speed and explosiveness for the position
— Can be a home run threat any time he touches the football
— Makes quick cuts in space to evade defenders
— Does a good job bouncing runs to the outside
— Displays some contact balance as a runner between the tackles
— Speed is evident in his work as a return specialist
— Can feel holes opening up and does a good job following his blocks
— Former receiver with an extensive pass catching background
— Displays soft, sure hands and can run routes out of the backfield/split out wide
— Has good hand/eye coordination to make difficult catches look routine
— Going to be a matchup nightmare for linebackers on passing downs
THE BAD
— Lacks ideal size for a traditional running back
— Only one year of substantial production on the ground
— Size/skill set may regulate him to a third-down back role in the league
— Has smaller hands than you’d like to see
— Ball security can be an issue due to stature
— Isn’t going to generate much YAC as a runner
BIO
— Senior prospect from Richmond Heights, Florida
— Born April 11, 2003
— Four-star recruit according to Rivals
— Selected to the Under Armour All-America Game and the U.S. Army All-American Bowl
— Originally committed to Florida, but flipped to Miami (FL)
— Hauled in 14 receptions for 199 yards and two touchdowns in 2021, while also rushing for 23 yards, also returned eight kickoffs for 146 yards
— Had 33 receptions for 308 yards in 2022, while also adding 22 yards on the ground, and returning 11 kickoffs for 250 yards
— Caught 22 passes for 263 yards and two touchdowns in 2023 while also rushing for 132 yards on nine attempts with one touchdown, returned 20 kickoffs for 579 yards and one touchdown
— Transferred from Miami to SMU prior to the 2024 season
— Appeared in all 14 games in 2024 and had 235 carries for 1,332 yards and 14 touchdowns, also caught 39 passes for 327 yards and four scores, returned 14 kickoffs for 320 yards
— Set the single-season program record at SMU for all-purpose yards with 1,977
— First-team All-ACC (2024), Second-team All-ACC (2023)
TAPE BREAKDOWN
Brashard Smith is this year’s running back/wide receiver hybrid who started his career with the Miami Hurricanes before transferring to SMU this past season, having a performance for the record books with the Mustangs. Smith racked up 1,977 all-purpose yards with SMU, going over 1,300 rushing yards in his first full season as a running back while also contributing as a pass catcher and kickoff returner.
When you pop in the tape on Smith, you see a player who can be utilized in the backfield and split out of the formation as a traditional receiver. He’s a threat to take it the distance any time he touches the ball, as you can see in the clips below against Pitt and TCU from this past season. He gets into open space and turns on the jets with his 4.39 speed to get into the end zone for the score.
Smith’s speed is also evident as a kick returner, as he complied over 1,200 return yards during his college career. He took one to the house during his time with the Hurricanes, a 98-yarder against Texas A&M during which he saw daylight and made one move to get into open space, taking it the distance for the touchdown.
Smith is an elusive runner with the ball in his hands, being able to evade would-be tacklers in the open field. Check out these clips against TCU where Smith takes the handoff and is able to put his foot in the ground, making quick cuts to bounce it to the outside to pick extra yardage.
He has the blend of speed and quickness to make defenders look like they are in slow motion like on this rep against the Horned Frogs, taking the carry off the right size and teleports to his left on a strong cut, making a defender whiff hard on a diving tackle attempt as he runs into another defender and attempts to fight for extra yardage.
Smith excels as a pass catcher both out of the backfield and split out of the formation as a traditional wide receiver, being a mismatch for most linebackers and safeties tasked with covering him. Watch this rep below of Smith running the scramble drill with his quarterback after leaking out of the backfield, catching the ball with outstretched hands and immediately becoming a runner after the catch. He makes a defender miss and turns upfield to get the ball into the end zone for the score.
He possesses great hand/eye coordination and spatial awareness as a receiver, as evidenced by this catch against Pitt. He gets into the end zone and catches the pass from his quarterback rolling out of the pocket along the sideline, toe-tapping the end zone for the score while in contested coverage.
While Smith’s speed and dual-threat skill set make him a tantalizing weapon at the next level, his lack of feature-back size will likely relegate him to more of a third-down/scat back role in the NFL. He also needs to be more aware of ball security like on this clip against Clemson back at Miami. He rips off an explosive run up the middle, but has the ball stripped from him by CB Nate Wiggins right as he reaches the end zone, missing out on the would-be touchdown.
CONCLUSION
Brashard Smith is an explosive playmaker who may be listed as a running back at the next level, but has the skill set to contribute as a pass catcher, too. He has the home run speed and the shiftiness in the open field to make explosive plays as a runner and be a mismatch nightmare for linebackers in the passing game. Still, Smith’s lack of ideal size will make him more of a committee back who creative offensive coordinators need to deploy properly to maximize his skill set.
When coming up with a pro comp for Smith, James Cook came to mind. Cook is one of Smith’s favorite players to watch in the league. Cook is also a slightly undersized back with good speed and quickness who also excels in the pass game, having become the lead runner for the Buffalo Bills. However, Cook also can struggle with ball security, having six fumbles in the past three seasons, fitting Smith’s archetype as more of a high-end projection for the latter coming out of college.
Projection: Day Three
Depot Draft Grade: 7.5 – Fourth Round (Rotational Player)
Games Watched: vs TCU (2024), vs Pitt (2024), vs Clemson (2023), vs Texas A&M (2023), Senior Bowl
