NFL Draft Profile: Cam Smith, Cornerback, South Carolina Gamecocks
In this story:
#9
Pos: CB
Ht: 6006
Wt: 180
Hand: 0918
Arm: 3158
Wing: 7618
40: 4.43
DOB: 12/21/2000
Hometown: Blythewood, SC
High School: Westwood
Eligibility: 2023
Cam Smith
South Carolina Gamecocks
One-Liner:
A rowdy defensive back that consistently detects the ball, Smith roves the secondary with a presence that makes quarterbacks second guess their decisions.
Evaluation:
Stellar length for the position, long arms, and rangy frame. Logged snaps as a boundary corner, nickel defender, and post safety. Incredibly active player, instituting energy on every play. Infectious competitiveness radiates throughout his teammates. Fluid athlete in every sense. Fleet-footed from pedal to break with polished hips and snap in his lower body movement. Closing speed mitigates the weaknesses of leverage responsibilities. Has the skill set to play man coverage, but the acuity to shine in zone. Effortless ability to trace receivers in man coverage. Can work the boundary on fade routes, while clamping down in-breakers. Plays the holes in zone with anticipation and instincts. Seemingly covers two players at once in cover two, erasing natural voids. Tremendous ball skills that turn into PBUs and interceptions. Vertical leap and soft hands transform him into a receiver on arrival of the ball. Eager in the run game, and regularly gushing to the ball. Looks to mix it up with ball carriers, wanting to enforce his presence. Walks the line of getting an opposing player out of his game while remaining in the game himself. Angular frame has created durability concerns and time away from the action. Needs to get his eyes out of the backfield. Excessively handsy past the legal area. Tends to rely on athletic traits, not issuing proper foot-hand reaction at the snap. Smith is the perfect defensive back in today's NFL. His scheme and position versatility will leverage him a high draft positioning if he can put the durability concerns behind him.
Grade:
1st Round
Quotes:
A hybrid cornerback who can switch up scheme and lineup at multiple spots on the field, Smith owns one of the higher ceilings in terms of upside. His length, speed and natural football instincts are some of his best traits. The physical cover man fits in well with the Gamecocks' heavy-man scheme and he is versatile enough to line up in the box or at the slot position. In fact, the plan is for Smith to make the move inside as the team’s primary nickelback for 2022. One concern that scouts have is his durability, as he has struggled to stay healthy due to a thin frame. He is a mature player on and off the field due to his experience as a father, student and athlete. There is no doubt that Smith can sniff out the football. He owns five career interceptions, including three last season. Some evaluators believe that Smith at his peak performance is a better prospect than former South Carolina first-round pick Jaycee Horn (Panthers), which is a clear indication that he should expect to hear his name called early in the 2023 NFL Draft. - Ric Serritella
Background:
Cam Smith, from South Carolina, is a Redshirt Junior from Blythewood, South Carolina. Smith was ranked by ProFootballFocus as the second-best Cornerback in College Football for 2022. To back that up, Smith allowed only fifteen catches on thirty-two targets all season in 2021. During his Redshirt Freshmen season, he had two interceptions, tied for most on the team which shows he can make an impact from the jump and can help a team out immediately.
