James Smith DL Ohio State |
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| Jersey: #23 SUB-POSITION: NT/DT | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 08/03/2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2027 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FORTY time: 4.88 seconds (64%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Age: 21.4 DOB: 04/07/2005 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Jersey: #23 | |
| SUB-POSITION: NT/DT | |
| Last Updated: 08/03/2026 | |
| Draft Year: 2027 | |
| Forty time: 4.88 seconds (64%*) | |
| Age: 21.4 DOB: 04/07/2005 | |
| Overall Rating: |
80.3 / 100
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| Average rating of opposition Offense player has faced | ||
| Offense Rating: |
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76% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| Tackling: |
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49% |
| Pass Rush: |
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58% |
| Run Defense: |
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67% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
6th
Overall Rank:
#177
Position rank:
#25 (DL)
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| College Games: 37 College Snaps: 800 | ||
ESPN RATING: 89/100
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247 RATING: 97/100
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RIVALS RATING: 6.0 (98%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Jordan van den Berg - Georgia Tech |
|
85% |
| Ifeanyi Maijeh - Rutgers |
|
78% |
| Nick Barrett - South Carolina |
|
76% |
Draft Profile: Bio
A five-star and top-20 national recruit out of Carver in Montgomery, Smith bounced from Carver to IMG Academy and back during a high school career interrupted by an eligibility ruling that cost him a stretch, then signed with Alabama alongside Carver teammate Qua Russaw.He backed up a deep front as a true freshman, then appeared in all thirteen games as a sophomore in 2024 with 20 tackles, two breakups and a sack.
Smith moved into the starting lineup in 2025, starting eleven of fourteen games and recording 26 tackles, 6.5 for loss and 2.5 sacks, with eleven pressures and fifteen run stops as a base interior defender. He was ejected for targeting against Georgia and entered the transfer portal afterward, rated the top available interior lineman, before committing to Ohio State. The five-star pedigree and the frame remain the draw, with the snap-to-snap disruption still catching up to the recruiting hype across his Alabama career.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Five-star tools with a quick first step for an interior man
- Sacked Tennessee while logging three pressures in that game
- Good timed speed for the position helps him chase down the line
- Flashes the burst to split gaps before guards can anchor
- Holds up across 422 snaps in a heavy Alabama rotation
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Production lags the recruiting billing, with one sack on the year
- An unreliable tackler, dragged down by seven misses
- Drew five penalties, a discipline issue that must be fixed
- Little as a pass rusher despite the athletic gifts
- Inconsistent against the run for a player his size
Scouting Report: Summary
Smith arrived at Alabama as a five-star and still flashes the tools that earned the ranking, with a quick first step and good timed speed for an interior lineman. The athletic upside is real: he can split gaps before guards anchor and chase plays down the line, and he sacked Tennessee while pressuring the quarterback three times in that game. There is a player worth developing here, because the raw traits are a cut above what the production currently shows.The problem is that the production and the discipline have not matched the talent. He managed one sack on the year, the little juice as a pass rusher despite the gifts, and the an unreliable, lunging tackler with seven misses. Five penalties point to a player who has not yet harnessed his tools, and his run-defense impact is inconsistent for his size. He is a projection bet rather than a finished product, with real bust risk if the development stalls.
The pro evaluation is a high-upside interior flier whose grade rides on traits over tape. A patient defensive-line room could unlock the athleticism, but he has to cut the penalties, finish tackles, and turn flashes into snaps. That points to a Day 3 grade with developmental upside and a fresh start at a new program possibly being exactly what the profile needs.
How other scouting services rate James Smith (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
167.0
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
67.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.