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One can never have too many defensive standouts.
The Houston Texans can't have enough Jalen's on the roster.
Or Jaylins.
Or Jaylens, but more on him in a bit.
Midway through the third round, the Texans secured a slot weapon for C.J. Stroud in Iowa State wideout Jaylin Noel. With his next pick, general manager Nick Caserio made sure to add another Jaylin to the secondary to see reps behind newly paid nickel defender Jalen Pitre in USC's Jaylin Smith.
Smith is an explosive athlete who makes up his frame with a physical presence as an open-field tackler. During his three starting seasons at USC, he also saw reps at near every position in the secondary, including cornerback, slot defender and strong safety.
Last season, under new defensive coordinator D'Anton Lynn, Smith finished with 58 tackles, two interceptions and two pass breakups. He also posted an 82.6 defensive grade from Pro Football Focus was the second-best mark on the Trojans behind only linebacker Eric Gentry.
Here's a quick rundown on Smith:
Height: 5-foot-10
Weight: 197 pounds
Age: 21
From: Palmdale, California.
"Cornerback didn't shape up as a particular area of concern for a secondary that already boasts Derek Stingley Jr., Kamari Lassiter and nickel Jalen Pitre. Smith might be pigeonhole to working inside and sticking underneath, but he can add depth."- Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz
"Three-year starter with measurables and ball production that could leave teams lukewarm on his NFL prospects. Smith plays with a narrow backpedal, glitchy transitions and sluggish closing burst from off-man coverage, but he is much clingier from press-man. He might not have the play strength, length or top-end speed to be reliable on an island outside, though. The 2024 tape was better and he does offer some inside/outside flexibility, but he might be fighting for a roster spot throughout his career."
"If you saw Jaylin play in the perimeter formation; saw him play inside that formation. Frank thinks he can have an opportunity with the kicking game with his speed and toughness to maybe help us on the perimeter, whether it's on punt coverage or kickoff coverage."
Smith's frame likely makes him a corner instead of a safety and more than likely a nickel defender only. That's not a problem since Houston could use depth following the departure of Myles Bryant, but a Day 2 pick should be used on a player who likely competes for starting reps. With still a need on the offensive line and multiple players still on the board, this is more so a miss when looking at what it cost to move up in the top 100. Wouldn't Smith have been there in Round 4? Most think so. - Cole Thompson
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Texans 2025 draft pick profile: DB Jaylin Smith
Continue reading...
The Houston Texans can't have enough Jalen's on the roster.
Or Jaylins.
Or Jaylens, but more on him in a bit.
Midway through the third round, the Texans secured a slot weapon for C.J. Stroud in Iowa State wideout Jaylin Noel. With his next pick, general manager Nick Caserio made sure to add another Jaylin to the secondary to see reps behind newly paid nickel defender Jalen Pitre in USC's Jaylin Smith.
Smith is an explosive athlete who makes up his frame with a physical presence as an open-field tackler. During his three starting seasons at USC, he also saw reps at near every position in the secondary, including cornerback, slot defender and strong safety.
Last season, under new defensive coordinator D'Anton Lynn, Smith finished with 58 tackles, two interceptions and two pass breakups. He also posted an 82.6 defensive grade from Pro Football Focus was the second-best mark on the Trojans behind only linebacker Eric Gentry.
Here's a quick rundown on Smith:
The Basics
Height: 5-foot-10
Weight: 197 pounds
Age: 21
From: Palmdale, California.
Breakdown
"Cornerback didn't shape up as a particular area of concern for a secondary that already boasts Derek Stingley Jr., Kamari Lassiter and nickel Jalen Pitre. Smith might be pigeonhole to working inside and sticking underneath, but he can add depth."- Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz
Lance Zierlein's Scouting Report
"Three-year starter with measurables and ball production that could leave teams lukewarm on his NFL prospects. Smith plays with a narrow backpedal, glitchy transitions and sluggish closing burst from off-man coverage, but he is much clingier from press-man. He might not have the play strength, length or top-end speed to be reliable on an island outside, though. The 2024 tape was better and he does offer some inside/outside flexibility, but he might be fighting for a roster spot throughout his career."
What GM Nick Caserio Said
"If you saw Jaylin play in the perimeter formation; saw him play inside that formation. Frank thinks he can have an opportunity with the kicking game with his speed and toughness to maybe help us on the perimeter, whether it's on punt coverage or kickoff coverage."
RAS Score
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Grade: C
Smith's frame likely makes him a corner instead of a safety and more than likely a nickel defender only. That's not a problem since Houston could use depth following the departure of Myles Bryant, but a Day 2 pick should be used on a player who likely competes for starting reps. With still a need on the offensive line and multiple players still on the board, this is more so a miss when looking at what it cost to move up in the top 100. Wouldn't Smith have been there in Round 4? Most think so. - Cole Thompson
Highlights
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Texans 2025 draft pick profile: DB Jaylin Smith
Continue reading...
