The immense amount of success that wide receiver Deebo Samuel has seen in the NFL has helped improve the draft stock of multi-faceted weapons who can simply create as a playmaker with the ball in their hands.
Texas A&M’s Ainias Smith played both running back and wide receiver during his five seasons with the Aggies, making him one of the more versatile skill-position prospects entering the 2024 NFL Draft.
Despite plenty of on-field production in the SEC over his collegiate career, will Smith’s lack of size make it difficult for him to consistently win at the NFL level?
Ainias Smith’s Draft Profile and Measurements
- Height: 5’9″
- Weight: 190 pounds
- Length: 29”
- Wingspan: 70 4/8”
- Hand: 8 1/2”
- Position: Wide Receiver
- School: Texas A&M
- Current Year: Senior
Smith has been an underdog for most of his college football career, joining the Aggies as a three-star prospect coming out of high school in Texas. He was named the Houston area Offensive Player of the Year after a standout senior year, generating 481 rushing yards and 718 receiving yards, scoring 10 touchdowns in each venture.
Ainias Smith boasts UNFAIR speed 💨
Breezes past Sam Houston defenders into space and snags the pass from Haynes King for a LONG touchdown…
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) September 3, 2022
Smith continued his versatile offensive weapon usage at Texas A&M by amassing 2,407 receiving yards, 405 rushing yards, 180 receptions, and 23 total touchdowns during his five years with the Aggies. Additionally, he added another 1,196 yards and two scores as a returner.
Smith’s Scouting Report
Strengths
- Very effective yards-after-catch threat in the quick-game; plenty of play strength and contact balance to generate missed tackles and extra yards consistently; experience as a running back certainly translates as a creator when the ball is in his hands; screams up the field and becomes a YAC threat instantly once he secures the catch.
- Has a great feel for timing and settling in zones for first-level concepts.
- Fearless in the middle of the field, a fierce competitor at the catch point.
- Blue-collar football player; willing to get very physical as a blocker in a variety of different ways; high football integrity who competes on every snap.
- Fluid athlete who can smoothly change angles with plenty of ankle flexion to support curvilinear acceleration.
- Return-game contributor could help him provide extra value to an NFL roster.
Weaknesses
- Could be limited to just slot work at the professional level due to lack of length and top-end speed.
- Could be more deceptive with route stem on second or third-level concepts; detail in attacking a defender’s leverage isn’t consistent to carve out more space for his quarterback and needs a bit of refinement.
- Limited catch radius due to lack of length and size.
- While equipped with plenty of twitch, acceleration, and lateral agility, most would not classify him as a vertical threat at the next level.
Current Draft Projection and Summary
Smith has one of the more unique playmaker skill sets of the wide receivers in this class. His running back type-feel as a wide receiver could give him a small role as a satellite contributor in the screen and quick game early in his career.
Smith’s special-teams contributions also factor favorably into his evaluation and potential role in the NFL. The problem stems from his upside as a prospect.
Smith’s height, arm length, wingspan, and hand size all rank in the 14th percentile or lower at his position, which could prevent issues regarding his ceiling as an impact difference-maker at the NFL level.
From a coach’s perspective, Smith is a valuable commodity to a locker room. He tends to get the most out of every opportunity he touches the ball and does the little things with an all-out effort on every snap that makes you want to root for him at the next level.
However, Smith’s lack of route-running refinement entering the league, combined with his limited athletic profile, makes it difficult to project a significant role at the next level.
Smith projects as a Day 3 selection or priority free agent entering the 2024 NFL Draft.
KEEP READING: 2024 NFL Draft Big Board
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