Defensive end/edge rusher for the Auburn Tigers, with Keldric Faulk and Keyron Crawford declaring for the NFL draft, Jared Smith is expected to make significant progress during his sophomore season after apparently bulking up significantly this past offseason. Furthermore, via the transfer site, Amaris Williams and Jamonta Waller committed to the Georgia Bulldogs and Arkansas Razorbacks, respectively.
Smith is “one of college football’s freakiest specimens,” according to Blitz Sports Media’s Cade Thomas, who also named the former Thompson Warriors star one of ten possible breakout prospects for the SEC this autumn.
Over the coming years, Thomas even projected that Smith would be selected in the first round of the draft. After spending three years on the Plains, most likely under DJ Durkin, Smith would be available for the 2028 NFL draft.
Jared Smith wanted to be in Auburn. That’s why Alex Golesh wanted him back
One of the biggest offseason victories for Alex Golesh’s coaching staff, especially Durkin, was Smith’s choice to remain with the team. Golesh described the type of player who was signed to remain at Auburn during the previous offseason:
Someone who genuinely desired to be in East Central Alabama in the first place and who the program understood was crucial.
“I think the one thing that doesn’t change is this: You have to be able to identify the immediate roster and figure out really, really quickly who fits,” Golesh said. “And by fits, I don’t mean offensively, defensively or special teams, but truly, who wants to be there. Who’s at least got a chance to buy into what you’re doing, understanding that when you come into a situation where the success wasn’t flowing, change has to be made.”
Smith contributes to both the change and the preservation of what was successful. With 99.3 rushing yards per game, 2.86 yards per rush, and the second-best rushing success rate in the nation, the Tigers’ defense ranked No. 10 nationally and No. 3 in the SEC in run defense. Smith possesses exceptional instincts that set the edge, while being an edge-bender by profession. He was a component of what made 2025 so successful that it didn’t require an overhaul.
Fortunately, he has returned to assume the leadership role that Faulk left behind.
