Draft Analysis: Shi Smith

March 29, 2021 /
  • Height: 5’10”
  • Weight: 190lbs
  • College: South Carolina
  • Tape watched: Florida, Tennessee
  • NFL Comparison:

Pros

  • YAC
    Smith has enough contact balance and burst to make big plays at the next level. He welcomes contact and will lower his shoulder to move a pile. He doesn’t have elite elusiveness, but his acceleration is excellent and he can dart through small holes in the defense.
  • Route Running
    Shi Smith is inconsistent as a route runner. At times he looks dominant, mixing tempo with his great burst of speed to leave defenders spinning. Other times he looks unprepared in his route stem and is quickly taken off of the quarterback’s reads. If he can have a more developed plan against press coverage he will be able to make an impact for teams.
When Smith changes tempo and explodes out of his break, he is dangerous.

Cons

  • Usage
    Shi Smith was a primary slot receiver for the Gamecocks. He struggled against press coverage when he wasn’t able to explode out of his stance and get to his top speed. He is able to be rerouted by stronger corners as well. His release is sometimes slow and lazy for a player with great stop and start speed.
Smith often times struggles with press coverage and contact through his route stems.
  • Separation
    At 20 yards and under, Smith feasts on creating space under safeties and off-coverage. However, he struggles to find space downfield without a scheme to purposely create for him. He relies on his deceptive route breaks and quick burst. More quick than fast, Smith will most likely be asked to play from the slot in the NFL.
  • Contested Catches
    Smith struggles in crowds and with contact. With an already small catch radius, Smith drops a lot of passes outside of his frame. Hits disrupt his catches often, so he is best as a catch and run receiver. The Auburn tape shows his highs and lows in these situations.
  • Route Tree
    Short to intermediate routes are mostly what Smith was asked to run, and even still it was a very small sample of routes. He was used on quick hitting, and short route stems that allowed him to get the ball with space as soon as possible. Rarely was Smith asked to read coverages and find openings.
  • Blocking
    Usually uninterested and too patient to close the space on defenders, Smith does not project as an NFL caliber blocker. He lunges rather than setting up a solid base and driving opponents out of areas.

Overview

Shi Smith showed a lot of ups and downs on film. He is largely a slot receiver that has enough juice to command a few touches and scheme plays once he breaks through the NFL level. However, his impact largely relies on cleaning up his release against press and becoming a more consistent catcher.