Avery Smith had a productive career as a two-year starter at cornerback for Toledo.
This is a school that has recently produced its share of prospects in the secondary. In his first two NFL seasons, former Toledo cornerback Quinyon Mitchell became an immediate starter, a Super Bowl champion, and an All-Pro selection for the Philadelphia Eagles.
This year, Toledo had three members of its secondary invited to the NFL Combine, with safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren and cornerback Andre Fuller joining Smith.
McNeil-Warren is a potential first-round NFL draft choice, while Fuller and Smith are looked at as later-round picks.
Toledo’s three invitees were the most of any Group of Six school.
In addition, safety Braden Awls joined McNeil-Warren as a first-team HERO Sports G5 All-American selection. Awls has since transferred from Toledo to Iowa State. Fuller was a G5 second-team All-American.
The tape on Smith was impressive, but he didn’t separate himself at the NFL Combine.
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Avery Smith’s 40 Time and NFL Combine Results
Avery Smith was timed at 4.54 seconds in the 40 at the NFL Combine, which was 19th out of 20 cornerbacks who participated in that drill. He also recorded a vertical jump of 38.5 inches, which was 14th of 23 corners and broad jumped 10 feet, 5 inches, which was 13th of 20. He completed the three-cone drill in 7.03 seconds, which was second of five corners, and had a time of 4.46 seconds in the 20-yard shuttle, which was fifth of five.
Smith was measured at 5-foot-10.5 and 196 pounds at the NFL Combine.
Where Is Avery Smith From?
Smith is from East Point, Georgia. He attended Riverwood High School where he starred at quarterback and was responsible for 44 touchdowns during his senior year.
Avery Smith Stats & Highlights
Smith was a reserve cornerback and special teams performer during his first two years at Toledo, but he blossomed during his final two seasons as a starter. He was a two-time second-team All-MAC selection during his final two years at cornerback.
As a junior, he had 58 tackles, 16 pass breakups, and two interceptions. His senior year, he made 42 tackles, including five tackles for loss, 12 pass breakups, and one interception.
Avery Smith NFL Draft Comparison & Profile
My NFL comparison for Avery Smith is Washington Commanders cornerback Mike Sainristil. While Sainristil is slightly faster and a better tackler, the two are both playmakers. In his first two NFL seasons, Sainristil had 26 pass breakups. Smith recorded 28 pass breakups over his final two years at Toledo.
Both players are not afraid of gambling to make a big defensive play.
Sainristil entered the league as a much higher rated player, having starred at Michigan and then being selected in the second round (50th overall) by the Commanders.
It must be noted that Smith must take his game up another level to reach what Sainristil has accomplished in the NFL, but they play a similar style, with neither being afraid to take chances while guarding receivers.
Avery Smith NFL Draft Projection
I project Avery Smith to be a seventh-round draft choice. What will likely hold him back from being a higher projection is his size and speed. While Smith isn’t slow, he also doesn’t have elite speed.
If Smith is to be successful, he will likely have to play nickel because he may not be able to consistently keep up with fleet receivers on the outside.
Still, he won’t give up any ground, and his toughness and competitiveness are admirable traits.
In addition, Smith saw the majority of his playing time during his first two seasons at Toledo on special teams, and he would be a valuable addition there for any NFL franchise.
