Analysis + Evaluation of Dynamic DB Commit Octavian Smith Jr.
Background: Head coach Pat Fitzgerald and defensive coordinator Jim O'Neil locked down an athlete with tremendous potential who is versatile to play multiple positions. Octavian "Ocho" Smith Jr., a Maryland native, is an exceptional athlete with elite speed and ball skills, who stands at 6'1 and 170 pounds. The Class of 2022 commit is not only Paint Branch High School's star quarterback, he is also their lockdown perimeter defender.
Smith Jr. will be looking to give Northwestern's secondary a boost coming off the bench as a cornerback. A prospect that has flown under the national media's radar, Smith Jr. turned down offers from the likes of Maryland, Pittsburgh, Duke and Syracuse among others, before finally calling Evanston home on June 23rd.
Analysis: Smith Jr. and his elite speed will be on pace to keep stride with some of the Big Ten's fastest receivers. In June, Smith Jr. ran a 10.88 in the 100-meter dash to take second place in the Maryland 4A state finals (his PR is 10.46). His speed immediately jumps off his tape, making it clear the potential Coach Fitzgerald and his staff see in the young athlete.
Smith Jr. pairs his elite speed with great ball skills, which is a terrifying combination that offenses are going to have to account for. He is repeatedly getting his hands in the passing lanes and breaking up passes, boxing out receivers for positioning and fighting for the 50/50 balls. Smith Jr. is exactly the player a program like Northwestern is looking to have roaming around in the secondary.
The one area Smith Jr. could improve in during his senior year before making his way to campus is his physicality. Not in terms of being able to bump receivers at the line of scrimmage or chopping down a running back, but in terms of bulking up his 170 pound frame.
This should happen naturally once the defensive back arrives on campus and gets into the weight room and on a nutrition plan. Putting on 15-20 pounds of muscle will go a long way for Smith Jr. and will be much needed when facing the Big Ten's smash mouth style of play over the course of a whole season.
The sky is the limit for Octavian Smith Jr. The moment he steps foot on campus, there will be an electrifying buzz in Evanston and he will make and immediate impact on the Wildcats' game.
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