#57

Michael Smith Jr.

Senior defensive lineman for Eastern Michigan. 2021: 1.5 sacks, 2 tackles for loss, 27 tackles.

DL · Eastern Michigan · Sr. · #57

6′3″ · 318 lb · Frostproof, FL

CFB Index 15 · #257 of 274 interior linemenLow confidenceEastern Michigan 2021 alumnus

The story

4 defensive lineman for Eastern Michigan. 2021: 1.5 sacks, 2 tackles for loss, 27 tackles.

The record fills in as he plays.

His career, year by year

How it ended

Three seasons at Eastern Michigan, 2 sacks — his college career is complete.

Career arc

Recruit

—

No recruit profile

CFB

College

Eastern Michigan

2019–2021

NFL

NFL Draft

—

Not drafted

Coaching lineage · 2019–2021

1 coach

2019–2021

Chris Creighton

Eastern Michigan

Played his entire career under Chris Creighton.

2021 snapshot

Season context · Team result + system

3 seasons under Chris Creighton — 15-17 over that span.

2019Eastern Michigan6-7HC: Chris Creighton · Balanced

2020Eastern Michigan2-4HC: Chris Creighton · Balanced

2021Eastern Michigan7-6HC: Chris Creighton · Balanced, fast tempo

Where this defender ranks vs the field

Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort

15Below cohort / limited sample #257 of 274?

Low confidence7 metrics · season cumulative

Concern: passes defended (19th percentile).

Box-score production (7)

Sacks#704 / 2743 · 72nd pct

1.5

Tackles for loss#1411 / 2743 · 44th pct

2.0

Tackles#1530 / 2743 · 43rd pct

Interceptions#320 / 824 · 31st pct

Solo tackles#2005 / 2743 · 25th pct

QB hurries#1413 / 2743 · 24th pct

Passes defended#1695 / 2743 · 19th 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

2021 season · 9 games

Home/Road · Season halves

Home vs Road

	TKL/g	TFL/g	SACK/g	PD/g
Home5g	2.6	0.1	0.0	0.0
Road4g	2.5	0.2	0.2	0.0

First half vs Second half

	TKL/g	TFL/g	SACK/g	PD/g
Weeks 1-75g	2.4	0.1	0.0	0.0
Weeks 8+4g	2.8	0.2	0.2	0.0

Supporting cast · Scheme

Staff and system around the player

2026 season

Head Coach

Chris Creighton

Pass share

58.2%

107 pass / 77 run

Plays / game

61.3

3 games

Team sack rate

5.1%

117 dropbacks · PBP

Scheme: Pass-leaning, slow tempo.

Awards

Player standing · 2021

Part-time starter

Tackle volume for the position in part-time-starter range.

Recognition

Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex

Production · CFB Index Score

15 · #257 of 274 interior linemen

Career stats

Season	Team
2021	Eastern Michigan	27	10	2.0	1.5	--	1	--
2020	Eastern Michigan	13	6	1.0	0.0	--	--	--
2019	Eastern Michigan	11	5	0.5	0.0	--	--	--
Career		51	21	3.5	1.5	--	1	--

Game log

Game log · Week-by-week

2021 season · 9 games

Box score · CFBD

Wk	Opp	TKL	SOLO	TFL	SACK	INT	Note
Wk 2	L 7-34@ Wisconsin	3	3	0.0	0.0	—
Wk 4	W 59-21vs Texas State	2	0	0.0	0.0	—
Wk 5	L 20-27@ Northern Illinois	3	0	0.0	0.0	—
Wk 6	W 13-12vs Miami (OH)	1	1	0.0	0.0	—
Wk 7	L 31-38vs Ball State	3	0	0.5	0.0	—
Wk 10	W 52-49@ Toledo	1	1	1.0	1.0	—
Wk 11	L 26-34vs Ohio	4	0	0.0	0.0	—	Season-high 4 tackles
Wk 12	W 22-21vs Western Michigan	3	1	0.0	0.0	1
Wk 13	L 10-31@ Central Michigan	3	3	0.0	0.0	—
Total		23	9	1.5	1.0	1

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

Michael Smith Jr.

2021 snapshot

Splits & context

Awards

Part-time starter

Career stats

Game log

How he plays

DNA match

Nose Anchor

Players who play like Michael Smith Jr.