2024: Started in all 12 games at linebacker, ranking second on the team and fourth in the MVFC with 107 tackles (58 solo) … also ranked second on the team and tied for eighth in the MVFC with 4.5 sacks on the year … also credited with 10.0 TFLs (tied for 5th in MVFC), five pass breakups, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery … had four double-digit tackling efforts on the year, including 12 stops each in wins over Western Illinois and Southern Illinois … tallied a half sack in four of last seven contests to end the regular season and set a career-high with 2.0 TFLs against Missouri State ... finished with nine solo tackles in FCS quarterfinal contest at UC Davis.
2023: Started in all 11 games at linebacker, ranking second on the team with 74 tackles (31 solo) … also recorded 2.5 sacks, 5.5 TFLs, two fumble recoveries, two pass breakups and two interceptions on the year … tallied a career-high 14 tackles and a half sack against UNI … had nine tackles, a TFL and a fumble recovery against No. 1 South Dakota State … recorded interceptions in back-to-back games against Missouri State and Murray State.
2022: Saw action in all 11 games, with five starting assignments at linebacker ... finished the season with 47 total tackles, 22 of which were solo stops ... also credited with a half sack, 2.0 TFLs and two pass breakups ... had a half sack and four tackles in a win over Eastern Illinois ... had six tackles in a victory at Indiana State ... recorded 10 tackles at North Dakota State ... tallied a career-best 11 stops with a TFL in the season finale win over Western Illinois.
2021 (fall): Played in all 11 games as a reserve linebacker and on special teams ... finsihed the season with 10 tackles, with four solo stops.
2021 (spring): Saw action in one contest on special teams.
Homewood-Flossmoor HS: Three-year varsity starter … recorded 65 tackles, two interceptions and had two fumble recoveries as a senior … earned all-conference, all-area and all-state honors in final prep season … named the SWSC Defensive Player of the Year, the first player in school history to earn that honor … helped team to a No. 4 ranking in Class 8A … set a school record with five interceptions and added 73 tackles as a junior, while earning all-conference honors … helped team to a 10-2 record and a state playoff appearance … posted 17 tackles as a sophomore.
Personal: Born July 15, 2002, in Harvey, Illinois … son of Angela Smith … one of four siblings … his older brother, Dontae, was a former all-conference performer and team captain for Illinois State from 2011-14 … member of the honor roll.
