CAREER: Lettered five seasons (2020-21-22-23-24) ... recipient of the team’s Duke Tough Award in 2024 ... in 56 career games (three starts), compiled 70 tackles, 14.5 TFL, 8.0 sacks, one INT, four caused fumbles, two fumble recoveries, four PBUs and four QB pressures ... recorded 2+ tackles in 19 games, including a career-high six against Louisville in 2023 … forced one fumble against Wake Forest (2021), UCF (2022), Connecticut (2023) and SMU (2024) ... carded a career-best 2.0 TFL against Virginia Tech in 2024 and booked 1.0+ in 13 contests … secured a personal-high 1.5 sacks versus the Hokies with 1.0 sack against Pittsburgh (2022), UCF (2022), Lafayette (2023), Louisville (2023), Elon (2024) and Florida State (2024) ... lone INT came against Wake Forest in 2023 … played 1,608 career snaps.
2024: Recipient of the team’s Duke Tough Award ... experienced action in all 13 games, making one start against Virginia Tech … registered 22 tackles, 7.5 TFL, 4.0 sacks, one caused fumble, two fumble recoveries, two PBUs and two QB pressures … registered 2+ tackles in six games with a season-high four against Virginia Tech … recorded a season-high 2.0 TFL versus the Hokies … added 1.0 TFL against Elon, Georgia Tech, Florida State and Ole Miss in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl … posted a year-best 1.5 sacks versus Virginia Tech … credited with solo sacks against Elon and Florida State … carded one forced fumbled against SMU … recovered a fumble in consecutive contests, versus Florida State and SMU … tallied one QB pressure against SMU and NC State … broke up a pass at Middle Tennessee and Wake Forest … helped Duke rank among the NCAA leaders in tackles for loss per game (second/8.9), fumbles recovered (second/14), sacks per game (fourth/3.3), turnovers gained (seventh/27) and turnover margin (24th/+0.62) ... on the field for 614 snaps.
2023: Saw action in all 13 games, making one start against Virginia … registered 24 tackles, 3.0 TFL, 2.0 sacks, one INT, one PBU, two QB pressures and one caused fumble … registered 2+ tackles in seven games, including a season-high six against Louisville … recorded a season-high 1.0 TFL on three occasions against Connecticut, Lafayette and Louisville … posted a year-best 1.0 sack versus Lafayette and Louisville … lone INT came against Wake Forest … carded one forced fumbled against Connecticut … tallied one QB pressure against Clemson and Connecticut … selected the ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week, after recording two tackles and collecting first career INT to set up the Blue Devils' game-winning 26-yard field goal as time expired against Wake Forest … on the field for 477 snaps.
2022: Recipient of the team’s special teams player of the year award ... saw action in all 13 games ... compiled 13 tackles, 3.0 TFL, 2.0 sacks, one forced fumble and one blocked kick ... registered 2+ tackles in three games, including a season-high three tackles against Georgia Tech, Pittsburgh and UCF ... earned one forced fumble and 1.0 sack against UCF in the Military Bowl to rank tied for first and tied for third, respectively on Duke’s bowl game charts ... blocked one punt against Virginia ... on the field for 346 snaps ... transitioned from linebacker to defensive end during the spring.
2021: Played in 10 games, making one start against Virginia Tech … finished with 10 tackles, 1.0 TFL, one PBU, and one forced fumble … garnered 2+ tackles in three contests, including a season-high three against Miami and Wake Forest … lone TFL and sack came versus Virginia ... registered one PBU and caused fumble against Wake Forest … on the field for 107 snaps.
2020: Played in seven games, seeing action against Charlotte, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Miami, North Carolina, Syracuse and Virginia Tech … recorded one tackle against Charlotte … on the field for 64 snaps.
PRIOR TO DUKE: Lettered three years at Harrison under coach Matt Dickmann ... consensus three-star prospect by ESPN.com, 247Sports.com and Rivals.com ... listed by 247Sports.com as the No. 70 inside linebacker in the nation ... compiled 393 tackles, three sacks, three INT, four forced fumbles, and four PBUs ... named defensive player of the year, all-region and all-county ... helped Harrison to a 33-7 record over three-year career, including the state championship and 15-0 record in 2019 ... also lettered in track & field.
PERSONAL: Graduated from Duke in May 2024, with a degree in political science and a minor in sociology ... son of Robert and Gwendolyn Smith.