Ainias Smith
| No. 82 – Philadelphia Eagles | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position: | Wide receiver | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||
| Born: | May 31, 2001 Missouri City, Texas, U.S. | ||||||||||||
| Height: | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 176 lb (80 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school: | Dulles (Sugar Land, Texas) | ||||||||||||
| College: | Texas A&M (2019–2023) | ||||||||||||
| NFL draft: | 2024 / round: 5 / pick: 152 | ||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||
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| Roster status: | Active | ||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||
| Career NFL statistics as of Week 18, 2024 | |||||||||||||
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Ainias Smith (born May 31, 2001) is an American professional football wide receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Texas A&M.
Early life and education
Smith grew up in Missouri City, Texas and attended John Foster Dulles High School in Sugar Land, Texas.[1] In his high school career, he was a starter at wide receiver, running back, cornerback, and occasionally free safety.[2] As a senior, he rushed for 481 yards and 10 touchdowns and caught 55 passes for 717 yards and 10 touchdowns.[3] Smith committed to play college football at Texas A&M over Duke.[4][5]
College career
As a freshman, Smith played mostly wide receiver and served as the team's primary return specialist and had 22 receptions for 248 yards and three touchdowns.[6][7] He played running back in the 2019 Texas Bowl and rushed for 54 yards on seven carries in a 24-21 win over Oklahoma State.[8] Smith was moved to running back before the start of his sophomore season, while remaining a flex option at wide receiver.[9][2] He finished the season with 293 yards and four touchdowns on 49 carries and also caught 43 passes for a team-leading 564 receiving yards with six touchdown receptions.
Smith was named to the watchlist for the Hornung Award going into his junior season.[10] That season, he was selected as a team captain and returned to a primarily wide receiver role, leading the team in receptions. In a win over #1 ranked Alabama, he recorded six receptions for 85 yards and two touchdowns.[2]
He was briefly suspended by the team in July 2022 due to a DWI arrest, but was reinstated after the charges were dropped due to a lack of evidence.[11] After starting the first four games of his senior season, he suffered a leg injury that ended his season.[12][13] Smith was granted a fifth year of eligibility due to the injury, qualifying as a medical redshirt.[14]
On September 20, 2023, he earned SEC Special Teams Player of the Week honors after returning a punt 82 yards for a touchdown and recording a career-high 202 all-purpose yards against Arkansas, the team he was injured against the year prior.[12] He ended his fifth year leading the Aggies in all-purpose yards (1,204), receiving yards (795), and punt return yards (285), earning him first team All-SEC honors.[13]
College statistics
| Texas A&M Aggies | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Receiving | Rushing | Punt Returns | Kick Returns | ||||||||||||||
| Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Ret | Yds | Avg | TD | Ret | Yds | Avg | TD | |
| 2019 | 22 | 248 | 11.3 | 30 | 3 | 7 | 54 | 7.7 | 19 | 0 | 16 | 190 | 11.9 | 0 | 13 | 257 | 19.8 | 0 |
| 2020 | 43 | 564 | 13.1 | 54 | 6 | 49 | 293 | 6.0 | 38 | 4 | 17 | 75 | 5.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | 47 | 509 | 10.8 | 27 | 6 | 8 | 26 | 3.3 | 8 | 0 | 23 | 259 | 11.3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | 15 | 291 | 19.4 | 63 | 2 | 3 | 11 | 3.7 | 9 | 0 | 8 | 27 | 3.4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | 53 | 795 | 15.0 | 42 | 2 | 5 | 21 | 4.2 | 11 | 0 | 20 | 285 | 14.3 | 1 | 7 | 103 | 14.7 | 0 |
| Career | 180 | 2,407 | 13.4 | 63 | 19 | 72 | 405 | 5.6 | 38 | 4 | 82 | 836 | 10.2 | 2 | 20 | 360 | 18.0 | 0 |
Professional career
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Bench press | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 ft 9+3⁄8 in (1.76 m) |
190 lb (86 kg) |
29 in (0.74 m) |
8+1⁄2 in (0.22 m) |
4.56 s | 1.57 s | 2.60 s | 4.27 s | 6.86 s | 21 reps | |||
| All values from NFL Combine/Pro Day[15][16][17] | ||||||||||||
Smith was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles with the 152nd pick in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL draft.[18] He was placed on injured reserve on August 27, 2024.[19] He was activated on October 26.[20] Smith made his debut against the Jacksonville Jaguars. He caught one pass for no gain and rushed once for two yards.[21] On January 5, in a week 18 matchup against the New York Giants, Smith caught the first touchdown of his NFL career on a pass from quarterback Tanner McKee.[22]
NFL career statistics
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Bold | Career High |
| Year | Team | Games | Receiving | Rushing | Fumbles | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost | ||
| 2024 | PHI | 7 | 1 | 7 | 41 | 5.9 | 15 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 3.0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 7 | 1 | 7 | 41 | 5.9 | 15 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 3.0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Personal life
Smith is the younger brother of NFL defensive back Maurice Smith.[23] On July 20, 2022, Smith was arrested into Brazos County, Texas on three charges: unlawful carrying of a weapon, driving while intoxicated, and possession of marijuana.[24] He was released the same day after posting $8,000 bail, and the charges were dropped 9 days later by the Brazos county attorney due to a lack of evidence.[11]
References
- ^ Underwood, Hannah (December 14, 2020). "3 reasons why Texas A&M could be better in 2021, including a triple threat at running back". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
- ^ a b c Ohnysty, Cameron (June 25, 2022). "Texas A&M Player Profile: Wide receiver, Ainias Smith". Aggies Wire. USA Today. Retrieved January 6, 2025.
- ^ Sayles, Damon (February 6, 2019). "A&M adds speed, versatility to 2019 class in ATH Ainias Smith". 247Sports.com. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
- ^ Zwerneman, Brent (February 6, 2019). "Texas A&M adds versatile player to 2019 signing class". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
- ^ Brown, Travis L. (November 16, 2019). "Aggie freshman wide receiver Ainias Smith chose Texas A&M as much for academics as for football". The Bryan-College Station Eagle. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
- ^ "Ainias Smith Brings Versatile Skill Set to A&M Backfield". Fox44News. September 1, 2020. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
- ^ Zwerneman, Brent (October 22, 2019). "Aggies counting on happy returns from Ainias Smith". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
- ^ O'Gara, Connor (November 5, 2020). "Why Ainias Smith is the unique X-factor who suddenly has Texas A&M looking worthy of Playoff talk". Saturday Down South. Retrieved June 23, 2024.
- ^ Thompson, Cole (February 5, 2020). "Ainias Smith To Switch Positions in 2020". SI.com. Retrieved September 21, 2021.
- ^ "Aggie playmaker Ainias Smith named to Hornung Award watch list". KAGSTV.com. July 29, 2021. Retrieved August 25, 2021.
- ^ a b Wilson, Dave (July 29, 2022). "Aggies' Smith won't face DWI, weapons charges". ESPN.com. ESPN. Retrieved January 6, 2025.
- ^ a b Stanford, Kiri. "Ainias Smith '22". 12th Man Foundation. Texas A&M Athletics. Retrieved January 6, 2025.
- ^ a b "Ainias Smith - Football". Texas A&M Athletics. Retrieved January 6, 2025.
- ^ Thompson, Cole (December 8, 2023). "Texas A&M Aggies WR Ainias Smith Declares For 2024 NFL Draft, Will Coach In Bowl Game". Texas A&M Aggies On SI. Sports Illustrated. Retrieved January 6, 2025.
- ^ "Ainias Smith Draft and Combine Prospect Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
- ^ "2024 NFL Draft Scout Ainias Smith College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
- ^ Karels, Carter (March 19, 2024). "Texas A&M Pro Day results: 18 former Aggie players audition for NFL teams". 247Sports.com. Retrieved May 4, 2024.
- ^ Gowton, Brandon Lee (April 27, 2024). "NFL Draft Results: Eagles pick Ainias Smith at No. 152". Bleeding Green Nation. Retrieved June 23, 2024.
- ^ "Get your first look at the Eagles' initial 53-man roster". PhiladelphiaEagles.com. August 27, 2024. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
- ^ McMullen, John (October 26, 2024). "Eagles Activate Rookie WR". SI.com. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
- ^ "Ainias Smith 2024 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
- ^ McManus, Tim (January 6, 2025). "Eagles' rookie WR Ainias Smith scores first TD vs. Giants". ESPN.com. ESPN. Retrieved January 6, 2025.
- ^ Wilson, Aaron (August 28, 2018). "Football is a family affair for Dolphins' Maurice Smith, brother Ainias Smith". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
- ^ Rittenberg, Adam (July 20, 2022). "Texas A&M Aggies football player Ainias Smith arrested on DWI, weapon, marijuana charges". ESPN.com. Retrieved June 23, 2024.