Genesis Smith S Arizona |
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| Jersey: #12 ROLE: Man-Zone Slot/Nickel Safety | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 03/23/2026 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2026 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FORTY time: 4.50 seconds (73%*) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowl Invite: Senior Bowl | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Jersey: #12 | |
| ROLE: Man-Zone Slot/Nickel Safety | |
| Last Updated: 03/23/2026 | |
| Draft Year: 2026 | |
| Forty time: 4.50 seconds (73%*) | |
| Bowl Invite: Senior Bowl | |
| Overall Rating: | 84.6 / 100 | |
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| Average rating of opposition Offense player has faced | ||
| Offense Rating: |
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74% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| QB Rating When targeted: | 80.3 | |
| Tackling: |
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57% |
| Run Defense: |
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70% |
| Coverage: |
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91% |
| Zone: |
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88% |
| Man/Press: |
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85% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
4th
Overall Rank:
#101
Position rank:
#25 (DB)
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| College Games: 37 College Snaps: 1757 | ||
ESPN RATING: 80/100
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247 RATING: 88/100
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RIVALS RATING: 5.6 (92%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Calen Bullock - USC |
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79% |
| Jevon Holland - Oregon |
|
78% |
| Jaden Hicks - Washington State |
|
77% |
Drafted: ROUND: 4 - Pick Number: 131 (LAC)
Draft Profile: Bio
Sixteen interceptions across his prep career at Hamilton High School in Chandler, Arizona, made Genesis Smith one of the more productive defensive backs in the state regardless of recruiting ranking. He averaged over four tackles per game and earned a three-star rating from 247Sports and Rivals, with ESPN bumping him to a four-star. He held offers from Washington, Oregon State, Iowa State, and Colorado State, among others, before staying home to play for Arizona.Smith appeared in all 13 games as a true freshman in 2023, contributing 24 tackles and picking off his first career pass against Oklahoma in the Alamo Bowl. That game capped a 10-win season for the Wildcats. His sophomore year brought a much larger role: 63 tackles, three interceptions, two forced fumbles, and a Big 12 Co-Defensive Player of the Week nod after a strong performance against Houston.
As a junior in 2025, Smith posted 77 tackles, nine pass breakups, one interception, and two forced fumbles. He earned Third Team All-Big 12 recognition and was named a semifinalist for the Wuerffel Trophy, which honors community service alongside on-field performance.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Outstanding zone coverage instincts with the patience to read route development before committing.
- Uses his length to contest catch points without drawing flags.
- Long strides and smooth transitions let him close on throws in a hurry.
- Comfortable sitting in a deep half or single-high and quarterbacking the back end.
- Fluid backpedal with a level base that lets him break on the ball in any direction.
- Ball production is real: five career picks, 10 pass breakups, four forced fumbles.
- Versatile alignment history, logging snaps at free safety, in the box, and in the slot.
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Tackling technique is genuinely poor, with a career missed tackle rate near 20 percent.
- Takes questionable pursuit angles that let ball carriers reach the second level.
- Run defense effort fluctuates and his impact against the run is minimal.
- Recovery speed after biting on fakes or overcommitting can be a problem.
- Stop-start quickness is limited for a player who may see slot reps at the next level.
- Light frame at 202 pounds, and the tackling issues make the weight a bigger concern.
Scouting Report: Summary
Smith's NFL value starts and ends with his coverage ability. His 2025 tape at free safety is the best version of him: sitting deep, reading the quarterback's eyes, processing route combinations, and driving on the football with real conviction. He can mirror underneath routes and overlap in zone with the kind of awareness that takes time to develop, and he already has it. The ball production over three years backs up what the tape shows.The tackling is a genuine issue, though, and it's not just technique. His angles in the open field are often off, and he doesn't always finish when he arrives. At 202 pounds, he's not going to power through missed assignments, so he needs to clean up his footwork and wrap-up fundamentals at the next level. The run defense grades reflect the same inconsistency. He had stretches in 2024 where he looked willing and capable as a run support player, but that didn't carry over consistently.
The best fit is a defense that can feature him in a free safety or deep coverage role where his range and ball skills carry maximum weight. Asking him to play down in the box regularly would expose his worst traits. A coaching staff that values takeaways and can scheme around his limitations in the run game will get the most out of him. He has the tools and the instincts to be a contributor early, but his floor is tied directly to whether the tackling improves.
Genesis Smith percentiles vs other Safetys (NFL Combine historically - higher value represents better perfomance)
How other scouting services rate Genesis Smith (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
96.9
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
30.0
*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.