Junior linebacker for Toledo. 2025: 3 games with a box-score line.
6′4″ · 223 lb · Delta, OH · Wauseon
The numbers
tackles · 2025
3 games into 2025 so far -- Best game: 1 tackles, vs Ball State
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
3 linebacker for Toledo. 2025: 3 games with a box-score line.
Sam Smith Jr.
Sam Smith Jr. has been at Toledo through two head coaches in two seasons. The receipt on tape: 1 tackles against Ball State, Week 13, 2025.
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
His career
Career arc
Coaching lineage · 2024–2025
2 coachesCoaching transition mid-career: Jason Candle → Robert Weiner. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
Season context · Team result + system
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Concern: tackles (0th percentile).
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 · Per-game
2025 season · 3 games
Home vs Road
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home1g | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Road2g | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
First half vs Second half
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-72g | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Weeks 8+1g | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Mike Jacobs
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Player standing · 2025
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Game log · Week-by-week
2025 season · 3 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 16-24@ Kentucky | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 1 tackles |
| Wk 7 | L 23-28@ Bowling Green | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 13 | W 38-9vs Ball State | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 3 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
2026 Outlook
Toledo
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · Toledo
Returning around him
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Toledo · Last season: 8-5 · Talent rank #116 · 2026 recruiting class #121
2025 Played in 12 games, making three tackles...Academic All-MAC. 2024 Played in all 13 games, making three tackles on special teams...Academic All-MAC. 2023 Sat out season and retained freshman eligibility. High School Three-star prospect, according to 247 Sports...Named first-team all-league an...
8 more on the roster · Toledo team page