Over six months ago, before the 2024 NFL Draft, I identified eight Day 3 prospects to watch closely, including Georgia defensive back Tykee Smith.
Smith’s adaptability was a key reason for the high praise, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were impressed enough to select him on Day 2 with the 90th overall pick in the draft. Even though he was the 36th defensive player selected, Smith has arguably been the standout among them and is an early candidate for Defensive Rookie of the Year after six weeks.
Among rookies with enough qualifying snaps entering Week 7, Smith is ranked eighth overall in PFF grade (76.1), having played at least 90 more snaps than those ranked above him. His run-defense grade is particularly impressive at 83.6, placing him second, and he’s done so with nearly double the snaps of first-place Jarrian Jones. Smith’s tackling grade of 63.4 places him 23rd overall and third among rookie cornerbacks, while his pass-rush grade of 71.0 ranks seventh over 32 snaps. His coverage grade of 71.6 is also seventh-best among his peers.
While Smith was known for his versatility in college, he has primarily played as a slot cornerback during his rookie campaign, carving out a niche in the Buccaneers’ defense. He leads the NFL in slot snaps with 193, 12 more than the next closest player, Alontae Taylor. Among the 49 players with at least 50 slot coverage snaps, Smith ranks 10th in PFF coverage grade (73.8), third in contested targets (33), and 11th in allowed open-target rate (51.5%).
Smith’s greatest strength as a slot corner has been his run defense. His 83.1 run-defense grade ranks ninth among players with 30+ run-defense snaps from the slot. He’s tied for second in run stops (5), just one behind leader Jalen Pitre, and leads the league in tackles for loss or no gain (3), with the lowest average depth of tackle (-1 yard) — one of only two slot defenders whose tackles occur behind the line of scrimmage.
Smith had a breakout performance in Week 6 during the Buccaneers’ high-scoring matchup against the Saints, posting a career-high PFF grade of 89.9 in the slot, including an impressive 88.6 coverage grade. He allowed only two catches for 19 yards and recorded an interception.
Smith’s rise has also impacted the rest of Tampa Bay’s secondary. Christian Izien, who played primarily as a slot cornerback last year and earned a modest 63.0 PFF grade over 600 snaps, was moved to his natural position at free safety with the arrival of Smith. Despite a poor Week 5 showing against the Falcons, Izien’s overall grade improves to 65.3 when excluding that game.
The addition of Smith has significantly strengthened a Buccaneers secondary that seemed vulnerable after trading veteran cornerback Carlton Davis to the Detroit Lions. Smith’s impressive play has helped ensure the team remains on track in their quest to repeat as NFC South champions and potentially make another Super Bowl run after their victory in 2020.
