Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 56-3vs Ball State | 2 | 1 | 1.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 2 tackles |
| Wk 2 | L 23-24@ Texas | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 3 | 1 | 1.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#3
James Smith
James Smith packed up and started over at Ohio State, and the new tape already reads No.27 5★, national recruit.
6′3″ · 306 lb · Montgomery, AL
CFB Index 49 · #215 of 420 edge rushersLow confidenceTransferred Alabama → Ohio State for 2026
CFB Index
A single number blending on-field production (an EPA-based value lane) with box-score output for this player's position.
0-100, scaled within each position's own cohort — not directly comparable across positions.
The numbers
0
sacks · 2026
1 TFL · 3 tackles
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 1 TFL, 2 tackles, vs Ball State
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 defensive tackle on Ohio State's 2026 roster.
- Signed as a 5-star recruit to Alabama in 2023.
- Transferred from Alabama to Ohio State in 2026.
Buzz vs Tape
Fans hotter than the country
His own fans read him warmer than the wider college football conversation does — a gap of 23.3 points in belief.
23.3own fans
0national conversation
Luke Robinson and Jimmy Stein break down Alabama's dominant 73-0 victory over Louisiana-Monroe, highlighting the team's growth and improvement from their season opener. They discuss standout performances from players like Ty Simpson, Kevin…
In Their Words
168 windows · 2026 fan posts
james×28.3ohio×18.6alabama×7.3
“The Buckeye 20: James Smith ranks as Ohio State’s No. 17 player entering the season as the Alabama transfer looks to reach his potential and become a star on the Buckeyes’ D-line.”
bluesky_curated · fan post, verbatim
James Smith
On Trialas of 2026-09-15
James Smith arrives at Ohio State with a new fit to prove and an old chapter behind him.
3TACKLES0SACKS
5★ · NATIONAL RECRUIT
No.27
recruiting national rank
Ohio State fans can't agree whether the tape backs the reputation.
medium confidence8 sources
Minority viewA vocal minority sees it the other way.
Read the story so far
AI-generated narrative · may contain errors · not journalism · updated 2026-09-15
His career
He arrived as a blue-chip recruit and played like one.
2020
- All-AACsecond
20233 games
- Signed with Alabama5-star out of Carver Montgomery
2026
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★★★
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Trophy case · Confirmed honors
What the selectors said
🎖
ALL-AAC · 2ND TEAM
All-AAC 2nd team (2020)
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
1 coach2023–2026
Ohio State
Played his entire career under Ryan Day.
Where He Ended Up · Transfer
Transferred to Ohio State
2025Alabama
2026Ohio State
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2023Alabama12-2HC: Nick Saban · Run-heavy
2024Alabama9-4HC: Kalen DeBoer · Run-leaning
2025Alabama11-4HC: Kalen DeBoer · Balanced
2026Ohio State1-1HC: Ryan Day · Balanced
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Medium confidenceAscending
Concern: tackles (0th percentile).
Box-score production (6)
Percentiles are versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score production. There are no play-by-play efficiency bars here: CFBD's play-value model credits offensive players only, so no defensive EPA exists to rank.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 2 games: 1.5 TKL/g, 0.5 TFL/g, 0.0 SACK/g, 0.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Ryan Day
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2025
Part-time starter
Tackle volume for the position in part-time-starter range.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Production · CFB Index Score
49 · #215 of 420 edge rushers
Former five-star. Now #215 at the position.
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Ohio State | 3 | 1 | 1.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Alabama | 26 | 16 | 6.5 | 2.5 | 1 | -- | -- |
| 2024 | Alabama | 20 | 9 | 3.5 | 1.0 | 2 | -- | -- |
| 2023 | Alabama | 2 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 51 | 27 | 11.0 | 3.5 | 3 | -- | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 56–3
vs Ball State
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Disrupts the pocket from the interior.
CFB Index positional classification
DNA match
Player DNA
3-Tech Penetrator
Disruptive interior rusher who lives in the backfield.
IDL
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Tyler Onyedim’s 2022 season.
89%match
NFL Rd 3 · Pk 2
Matches Tyler on
Height
Weight
Sack rate
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Ansel Din-Mbuh's junior season at TCU (2025).
88%match
Matches Ansel on
Class year
Hurry rate
Weight
Player DNA
Players who play like James Smith
Background
Career Highs 7 Total Tackles vs. Tennessee (Oct. 18, 2025) 1.0 Sacks (Three times – last at Auburn on Nov. 29, 2025) 3.0 Tackles for Loss vs. Louisiana-Monroe (Sept. 6, 2025) 1 Fumble Recovery at South Florida (Sept. 16, 2023) Prior to Ohio State Junior at Alabama (2025) Appeared in all 15 games...
The defensive line · Ohio State
- #2Kenyatta Jackson11 tackles for loss · 2025
- #3James Smith6.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #96Eddrick Houston4 tackles for loss · 2025
- #55John Walker2.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #12Beau Atkinson2.5 tackles for loss · 2025
13 more on the roster · Ohio State team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology