Avery Smith

● Quick-footed athlete, with flashes of explosiveness 543 Back to table of contents -- 547 of 629 -- ● Both controlled and fluid as a mover, keeping his feet underneath him ● Comfortable mirroring closer to the line ● Allows receiver’s eyes and body language to cue him when the ball is arriving ● Played a lot of off coverage and reads routes well from depth to burst to intersect point ● Highly competitive and battles for the ball through the catch ● Toughness jumps out in the run game ● NFL scout: “Staff says he learned how to train and study from Quinyon (Mitchell). … Now, he’s passing it on to the younger group.” ● Made several plays on special teams all four seasons, including blocked punt and blocked field goal

● On smaller side for the position, with lean bulk and short arms ● Very small hands — left interception production on the field ● Questionable deep speed and will struggle to close gaps in trail ● Eager in coverage and will bite on pumps and route fakes ● Will try to grab once he feels a step behind on inside release ● Bulldog run defender but allows some ball carriers out of his grasp, because of shallow angles and average finishing strength ● Can be engulfed by blocking receivers on outside

A two-year starter at Toledo, Smith played inside and outside in former defensive coordinator Vince Kehres’ scheme. He broke into the starting lineup after [—]’s departure and showed his versatility as a senior, switching between nickel, field and the boundary. He earned All-MAC honors as a junior and senior and combined for 28 passes defended over his final two seasons. A high school quarterback, Smith has a good feel for reading the field and understanding coverage angles. Though his long speed is average, he is a twitchy athlete who can drive on the ball and annoy receivers like a gnat at a barbecue. Despite his shorter arms, he is always ball searching and attacks run support with a spunky attitude. Overall, Smith is undersized and can be stacked vertically, but his ascending cover skills and competitive toughness are floor-raising traits. His best pro position is likely inside as a nickel corner.