Jaylin Smith

Former cornerback at USC. 2024: 2 interceptions, 2 pass breakups, 58 tackles.

CB · USC · Sr. · #2

5′11″ · 190 lb · Palmdale, CA

CFB Index 56 · #137 of 327 cornersLow confidenceAll-ConferenceHouston — drafted 2025, Rd 3, Pick 33, #97 overall

Recruiting

4★

ATH recruit

No. 323 nationally · Signed with USC

No college snaps yet.

His career numbers, season by season

The story

Former cornerback at USC. 2024: 2 interceptions, 2 pass breakups, 58 tackles.

Signed as a 4-star recruit to USC in 2021.
Drafted round 3 by the Houston in 2025.

His career, year by year

How it ended

Four seasons at USC, 176 tackles — drafted at #97 overall by Houston.

His career

He arrived as a blue-chip recruit and played like one.

20216 games

Signed with USC4-star out of Bishop Alemany

202410 games

All-Big Tenthird

2025

Drafted by Houstonround 3, pick 97

Career arc

Recruit

★★★★

#323 national

CFB

College

USC

2021–2024

NFL

NFL Draft

R3 · #97

Houston · 2025

Trophy case · Confirmed honors

What the selectors said

1 honor

🎖

ALL-BIG TEN

All-Big Ten mention (2024)

Coaching lineage · 2021–2024

2 coaches

2021

Donte Williams

USC

2022–2024

Lincoln Riley

USC

era →

Coaching transition mid-career: Donte Williams → Lincoln Riley. Worth noting in scheme + development context.

Where He Ended Up · NFL

HoustonEntering 2nd NFL season

#97Rd 3 · Pick 33

HoustonEntering 2nd NFL season

View college career stats ↓

2024 snapshot

Season context · Team result + system

2021USC4-8HC: Donte Williams · Balanced, fast tempo

2022USC11-3HC: Lincoln Riley · Balanced

2023USC8-5HC: Lincoln Riley · Pass-leaning, slow tempo

2024USC7-6HC: Lincoln Riley · Pass-leaning

Where this defender ranks vs the field

Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort

56Quality starter #137 of 327?

Low confidence7 metrics · season cumulative

Elite: solo tackles (91st percentile). Strength: tackles (85th percentile). Concern: qb hurries (23rd percentile).

Box-score production (7)

Solo tackles#240 / 2892 · 91st pct

Tackles#419 / 2892 · 85th pct

Interceptions#132 / 862 · 74th pct

Tackles for loss#779 / 2892 · 71st pct

4.0

Passes defended#755 / 2892 · 67th pct

Sacks#1455 / 2892 · 25th pct

0.0

QB hurries#1536 / 2892 · 23rd pct

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

2024 season · 10 games

Home/Road · Season halves

Home vs Road

	TKL/g	TFL/g	SACK/g	PD/g
Home4g	5.0	0.2	0.0	0.0
Road6g	6.3	0.5	0.0	0.3

First half vs Second half

	TKL/g	TFL/g	SACK/g	PD/g
Weeks 1-75g	4.6	0.4	0.0	0.0
Weeks 8+5g	7.0	0.4	0.0	0.4

Supporting cast · Scheme

Staff and system around the player

2026 season

Head Coach

Lincoln Riley

Pass share

46.0%

97 pass / 114 run

Plays / game

70.3

3 games

Team sack rate

2.0%

102 dropbacks · PBP

Scheme: Run-leaning.

Awards

Player standing · 2024

All-Conference

Picked for an all-conference team by at least one selector.

Recognition

Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex

Production · CFB Index Score

56 · #137 of 327 corners

Former four-star. Now #137 at the position.

Career stats

Season	Team
2024	USC	58	39	4.0	0.0	2	2	--
2023	USC	69	52	4.5	1.0	1	--	--
2022	USC	38	27	1.0	0.0	1	--	--
2021	USC	11	10	2.0	1.0	1	1	--
Career		176	128	11.5	2.0	5	3	--

Game log

Game log · Week-by-week

2024 season · 10 games

Box score · CFBD

Wk	Opp	TKL	SOLO	TFL	INT	PD	Note
Wk 1	W 27-20@ LSU	6	3	0.0	—	0
Wk 4	L 24-27@ Michigan	7	3	1.0	—	0
Wk 5	W 38-21vs Wisconsin	1	1	0.0	—	0
Wk 6	L 17-24@ Minnesota	4	2	1.0	—	0
Wk 7	L 30-33vs Penn State	5	5	0.0	—	0
Wk 8	L 28-29@ Maryland	11	9	0.0	1	0	Season-high 11 tackles
Wk 10	L 21-26@ Washington	7	3	1.0	—	2
Wk 12	W 28-20vs Nebraska	6	4	0.0	1	0
Wk 13	W 19-13@ UCLA	3	3	0.0	—	0
Wk 14	L 35-49vs Notre Dame	8	6	1.0	—	0
Total		58	39	4.0	2	2

Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology