Genesis Smith

The Player

Smith takes chances and misses too many tackles, but he’s a versatile and productive safety with a good blend of size, length, and speed. He’s at his best in coverage when he’s playing centerfield in single-high and three-high looks. He closes quickly and can jump routes driving on the ball. He tracks and adjusts to the deep ball well. He reads the quarterback and hunts the ball once it’s in the air in zone looks. He’s an effective robber who can step in front of receivers and break up passes from hook/curl depth. He reads and reacts quickly when receivers motion into the flat. He is a big hitter in coverage and can match up with tight ends. 

He has above-average arm length, but small hands. He had 14 passes defended over the past two seasons and even though he drops some passes he shouldn’t, he had five interceptions in his three-year college career. He flashes the ability to pluck passes out of the air and the ability to high-point passes. He reportedly ran his 40 in the 4.4s at Arizona’s pro day, but he’s a tight runner on tape and doesn’t have ideal range or recovery speed for a free safety. He’s a gambler who gets dirty eyes and drifts out of position in zone looks. 

He’s an active run defender who chases with good effort and recorded 140 tackles over the past two seasons. He slips blocks and shoots gaps when he plays in the box. He has the potential to be an effective run defender, but he must clean up his tackling. He missed 18 tackles in 2025 and 33 tackles over the past two seasons, according to PFF. Sometimes he misses tackles because of his attempts to punch the ball rather than wrap up the ball carrier. He can also give up chunk yards after the catch. He played 874 snaps at free safety, 457 snaps over the slot, and 373 snaps in the box, according to PFF. He also covered punts and kickoffs. 

The Draft

Smith was part of an Arizona defense that ranked seventh nationally in yards allowed last season. He’s a potential top-100 pick. 

The Projection

Smith grades out as a depth safety with the talent to develop into a starter, but he needs to improve his tackling before a team can trust him with a significant role. Jessie Bates III, a 2018 second-round pick, had tackling issues coming out of Wake Forest. He’s developed into an eight-year NFL starter.