From now until the 2025 NFL Draft, we will 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, down to Day 3 selections, and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on USC cornerback Jaylin Smith.
#2 Jaylin Smith/CB USC – 5104, 187 pounds (Senior)
Measurements
| Player | Ht/Wt | Hand Size | Arm Length | Wingspan |
| Jaylin Smith | 5104/187 | 9 1/4 | 29 7/8 | 75 1/4 |
| 40-Yard Dash | 10-Yard Dash | Short Shuttle | 3-Cone | |
| 4.45 | 1.60 | N/A | N/A | |
| Broad Jump | Vertical | Bench Press | ||
| 10’2″ | 32.5 | N/A |
The Good
– Good athletic ability
– Fits the run with aggressiveness despite being small
– Great tackler in the open field
– Plays with active aggressiveness and exciting confidence
– Uses good hands to shed blocks
– Good hip movement, can change direction fast
– Good awareness in zone coverage
– Quick break coming back to the ball
– Impressive ball skills
The Bad
– Undersized
– Does not get physical in press man
– Static feet in press coverage get shook by shifty releases
– No hands playing press allow free releases
– Trusts his athleticism to cover, but not a special athlete
– Decent speed but will not hold up vs faster receivers
– Bad technique off-man coverage
– Feet can panic playing off-man coverage
– Bad play strength, will get pushed around by powerful receivers
– Can get caught up in 1v1 matchups and lose focus on team defense
– Can lose temper and start to play hero ball
Bio
– Started in 32 games across four seasons at USC
– Projected to be drafted in 2023 but decided to stay another year
– 2024: 59 tackles, 4 TFL, 5 sacks, 2 PBU’s, and 2 interceptions
– Made an impact at the 2025 Senior Bowl
– 2023: 75 tackles, 5.5 TFL, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble, and 1 PBU
– Named the Defensive MVP of the Holiday Bowl vs. Louisville
– 2022: 37 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 PBU
– 2021: Great special teams player who appeared at safety in some games. 11 tackles, 2 TFL, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble and 1 interception
– Four-star recruit out of Bishop Alemany High School in California
– Named a 2020 PrepStar All-American as a senior, also played wide receiver and running back
– Ranked the No. 28 prospect in California
– Named All-CIF Division 3 as a junior, while recording 159 yards and 2 touchdowns on 14 carries while returning kicks
– Committed to USC over Michigan, Oregon, Texas and Washington
– Smith played in the Snoop Youth Football League and thanked Snoop Dog when he committed to USC
Tape Breakdown
Jaylin Smith is a veteran at USC, playing safety and cornerback across his four years as a Trojan. The part of his game that intrigues me is how aggressive he is when fitting the run. It is easy for cornerbacks to be in the background and only make plays when they come to him, but he makes a conscious effort to stop the run. He does a good job of shedding blocks from receivers of tight ends, and he is a great tackler in the open field. Although he is undersized, he consistently makes positive plays that will translate to the NFL.
He recognizes run plays quickly and attacks from downhill with good speed and great tackling technique. He has the ability to make splash plays when lined up 10-15 yards off the ball, and that comes from his time playing safety.
In zone coverage, Smith does a good job of understanding his drops and his leverage. His ability to be in the exact right position on the field as a deep third in a half turn speaks to his IQ and veteran presence. When playing as a hot defender, he reads out the offense’s play and identifies where the ball is and attacks with quickness.
While Smith does a good job in zone coverage, he struggles in man coverage. He did not face many good receivers, but there are some reps vs. weaker receivers that he still lost on. His technique worries me, and he relies on his athleticism a lot while not being that much of a special athlete. When he’s in press man, he does not get hands on the receiver due to his weak play strength. This allows the receiver to get a free release, and they can play at their own pace and have a plan of attack. As they begin their release, Smith’s feet are static, and he is late reacting to where they are going. Because he was not going against the best receivers, his athleticism allowed him to recover quickly and glue onto the receiver. However, at the next level, he will be going against guys who do not give him any opportunity to recover. I think he will be beat often in 1v1 coverage on the outside. On this rep, his feet get static and then he ends up overrunning the route, leading to him getting beat inside.
In off-man coverage, Smith stands too high, which limits his movement skills. His feet begin to panic as the receiver makes his way to him, and his failure to make a collision gives the receiver the ability to manipulate his leverage and have a free angle to where they need to be.
Most of these problems that Smith has stem from his slight build and weak play strength. This denies him from getting good hands on receivers and causes him to trust his feet, which is something that worked well in college vs. lower tier receivers but will not help him much in the NFL. His play strength also comes up in the run game, where he can be pushed out of his gap leading to a bigger gain.
While he plays very aggressively, it can get to his head a little bit, causing his focus to lose sight of team defense and try and play his own way. He gets chippy with receivers, and it causes big plays when he is not focused on the task at hand. Here, he is messing with a receiver while a touchdown goes his way.
Conclusion
Jaylin Smith is a longtime starter at USC who shows great ability to fit the run, but his size and play strength is a concern in the box. His man coverage skills need work in order to survive on the outside, but he does a good job in zone coverage. I think Smith will benefit from living in the slot or even as a safety because of his strong ability to fit the run, good zone coverage skills, and struggles to cover on the outside. If he can increase his play strength, he will be a positive player as a slot corner or safety. My comp for him is Andru Phillips.
Projection: Mid-Day 3
Depot Draft Grade: 7.1 – Fourth Round (Rotational Player)
Games Watched: vs LSU (2024), at Michigan (2024), vs Penn State (2024), vs Nebraska (2024)
