INDIANAPOLIS — Georgia defensive back Tykee Smith has a message for NFL teams doubting him this week at the combine.

“My mindset is don’t get fooled by the size,” said Smith, expected to measure in at 5-foot-10 and 205 pounds, a tad shorter that the ideal defensive back height in the NFL.

“Then, just my willingness, being a dog out there and playing with that chip on my shoulder,” Smith said at his NFL combine podium interview at the Indiana Convention Center on Thursday.

“Where I come from, you have to be tough to survive. My pride it too big to let someone come out there and overpower me.”

Smith is the latest of players Georgia has recruited out of Philadelphia that have panned out, joining D’Andre Swift and Mark Webb.

Smith isn’t expected to get selected until the third day of the NFL Draft — in the fourth round or later.

But Smith led the 2023 Georgia defense with 70 tackles and 4 interceptions, and ranked among the most improved players on the team after transferring in from West Virginia before the 2021 season.

Smith shared on Thursday that he didn’t feel totally healthy — and confident in the knee injury that required surgery in 2021 — until the spring session leading into last season.

The program’s coaching and development took over from there.

“Georgia developed me mentally,” Smith said, “showing me all the stuff outside of practice, how to handle the long meetings and the walk-throughs.”

And now Smith is ready to show the NFL what he has to offer beyond the strong 2023 season highlights teams have seen on film (TV: 3 p.m. on Friday, NFL Network).