Tykee Smith is a defensive back from Georgia. He is expected to be taken in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Smith was a very productive member of Georgia’s team in 2023. He spent three years with the program after transferring in from West Virginia.
Tykee Smith was one of Georgia’s top defensive players
The 2023 season was the first in which Smith was a full-time starter for the Bulldogs and he quickly became one of Georgia’s top statistical players.
Smith led Georgia in tackles (70), tackles for loss (8.5) and interceptions (4). Due to his strong play, Smith earned Second Team All-SEC honors.
Smith starred for a talented Georgia secondary, as Javon Bullard and Kamari Lassiter are also NFL draft hopefuls, while All-American safety Malaki Starks is still at Georgia.
That Smith played in such a loaded secondary and still made a number of plays bodes well for his NFL future.
Tykee Smith made the most of the pre-draft process
Smith is expected to go in either the fourth or fifth round, due in large part to a stellar performance at both the Senior Bowl and the NFL combine.
Smith earned rave reviews for his play at the Senior Bowl, showing that he could play both safety and nickelback. Georgia primarily used Smith in the latter role, but there is a belief he could play safety as well at the next level.
Then at the combine, Smith impressed teams by running a 4.48 40-yard dash time.
He has certainly given NFL teams a lot to think about come draft day, thanks to his playmaking, athleticism, and positional versatility.
Tykee Smith overcame a torn ACL
Smith spent his first two seasons in college at West Virginia, earning All-Freshman and All-American honors in his time with the Mountaineers. He transferred to Georgia ahead of the 2021 season but missed much of that campaign with a foot and then later ACL injury.
Smith did play in 14 games in the 2022 season but it would not be until his final season in Athens that he regained the top form he had at West Virginia.
Tykee Smith 2024 NFL Draft measurables
- Height: 5-foot-10
- Weight: 202 pounds
- Arm: 31 5/8-inches
- Hand: 9 1/4-inches
- 40-yard dash: 4.48
- 10-yard split: 1.58
- Vertical: 36-inches
- Broad jump: 10-feet
- Draft round: Fourth round to fifth round
What Kirby Smart said about Tykee Smith
“I’m happy for Tykee. He’s worked really hard. He had a significant injury. When you have a significant injury, sometimes it takes two years to come back from that. He’s a guy that, first year back, he wasn’t as ready to play as he was this year. He had an outstanding year this year, he expected to. He ran well. He’s a fierce competitor.”
