Christopher Smith Scouting Report

By: Michael Higgins

(Image courtesy of Tony Walsh/UGAAA)

School: Georgia (Senior)

Position: SAF

HT: 5’11

WT: 190 lbs

Sideline Prospect Ranking: #90

Christopher Smith has always been a physical, hard-nosed safety throughout his football career. A 4-star recruit out of Atlanta, Georgia, Smith opted to play football for his home state and played his college ball at the University of Georgia. Smith is a fifth-year senior who has had a main role on the defense since the 2020 season. His first two years at Georgia were filled with development and learning the ropes and once he took over he didn’t give up the starting safety spot.

Christopher Smith was one of the leaders in one of the best, if not the best defense in the country. Smith is a willing tackler at the safety position, his aggressive and physical nature leads to big hits and Smith makes sure to track down the ball carrier as best as he can and then he gets his hands on them. His physicality and tackling ability let Georgia play Smith anywhere on the field. Christopher Smith did not have a ton of ball production throughout his time at Georgia, but it was not to any fault of his own. Offenses primarily tried to convert short passing plays and use yards after the catch to beat Georgia’s stacked defense. Smith was rarely tested deep downfield. Smith was deployed at the traditional roaming safety position, lined up in the box as a linebacker, covering receivers or tight ends in the slot, and off the edge blitzing to rush into the backfield. When deployed in the slot or in the box, Smith does well to shed blockers in the second level in order to get to the ball. Smith takes good angles to the ball and rarely lets the ball carrier turn him around. He does well diagnosing route concepts when roaming in the back end of the defense before he cuts to the ball and makes a play either on the ball carrier or on the ball itself.

Working against Smith is his frame. Size is not of extreme importance in the secondary, but length certainly is. Christopher Smith measured in with 31 ⅛ inch arms and a 75-inch wingspan, below average numbers for both measurements. This lack of length prevents Smith from being able to consistently wrap up ball carriers and make plays on the ball at the catch point. When going up against faster receivers in coverage, Smith struggled heavily and could not stick with them. Smith will not be utilized to his strengths if he is consistently lined up in the slot.

Christopher Smith certainly has the ability and talent to become a starting safety in the NFL, but some natural components to Smith, such as length, may hold him back in that regard. He can step into a team’s facility and be a vocal leader even as a rookie. He is competitive, tough, and a hard worker. These are traits that Smith will need to amplify in order to disguise the lack of size.

Scheme Fit: Zone

Ideal Role: Free Safety

Best Team Fits: MIA, PIT, SF

Player Comparison: Karl Joseph

Player Grade: 73.6