As the NFL season winds down, FantasyPros will be taking a look at early NFL draft scouting reports before the combine in March. Here’s a look at Cam Smith.
Check out all of our 2023 NFL Draft Scouting Reports & Prospect Profiles
2023 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Cam Smith (CB – South Carolina)
Cam Smith (CB – South Carolina)
6’0” – 188 lbs.
Background:
Four-star recruit who appeared in three games as a true freshman before redshirting, then started three of eight games in 2020, allowing catches on 12/21 targets (57.1%) for 261 yards, with three touchdowns, two interceptions, and one breakup. Started seven of eleven games in 2021, enjoying an excellent campaign in which he allowed just 15/32 (46.9%) for 184 yards, one touchdown, three interceptions, and nine breakups. As a junior, allowed completions on 18/38 targets for 211 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception, breaking up six passes but being flagged ten times.
Positives:
Two-year starter and three-year contributor for a major program. Has a solid combination of height/length that should meet most teams’ size requirements. Tends to line up in press-man on the left side of the defense, but will move around a little bit. Very physical with opponents at the line from press; does a nice job of disrupting releases and timing. Uses his length and physicality to pin opponents to the sidelines against outside releases. Clean footwork and good balance to match releases when not jamming opponents. Nice balance and technique when backpedaling from off-coverage. Uses hands well to feel routes developing. Twitchy player who can stay glued to routes at the stem when playing in man coverage. Gets his head around to locate with his back turned to the ball. Impressive ball skills to break up or intercept throws when targeted. Attacks blocks with aggression; defends screens well. Good ability to sniff out plays developing underneath. Willing to come up and get physical the run game.
Negatives:
Physicality makes him relatively penalty-prone, with ten flags this past season and four in 2021. Can get grabby at the route stem. Plays a little bit out of control at times, leading to some occasional balance issues, some of which occur at the route stem and create throwing windows. Plays in zone coverage relatively less often; can get aggressive on the underneath route when processing combinations, although the Gamecocks often have a safety over the top.
Summary:
Could well be the most physical cornerback in this year’s draft class, putting a ton of pressure on opponents from press coverage and showing excellent footwork, quickness, and twitch to stay glued to receivers in man. Has been handling difficult assignments at the SEC level for the past two-plus seasons, which should also soften his learning curve. Those traits make him a potential number-one corner at the next level, a likely first round pick, and potentially even the first player off the board at his position.
Projection: Round 1
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