Yannick Smith WR SMU |
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report

Scouting Report: Weaknesses

• Hands are a recurring issue, with four drops across 2025 and 2026
• Separation on quick routes is a struggle against tight coverage
• Streaky production, with under 60 yards in three of four games this fall
• Almost exclusively an outside receiver, so slot versatility is unproven
• Still raw as a route runner after focusing on basketball for most of high school

Scouting Report: Summary

Smith is a basketball player who discovered football late and has been learning on the fly ever since, and the athletic gifts that made him a 5A Player of the Year on the court are obvious on the field. He has size, body control and the ability to make plays after the catch, as he showed on his 79-yard catch-and-run touchdown to beat Florida State. He was a productive starter at East Carolina and has made a smooth transition to SMU's offense.

However, he is still raw. His route running lacks polish, particularly on short and quick-breaking routes where he struggles to separate against tight coverage, and his hands have been unreliable, with four drops over the last two seasons. His production has been streaky, with fewer than 60 yards in three of four games this season, and almost all of his snaps come on the outside.

Overall, Smith is a developmental outside receiver with intriguing size and athleticism who would benefit from another year of college football. If he comes out early, he projects as a seventh-round or undrafted receiver whose size and athleticism would make him a worthwhile practice squad project.