Jaylin Smith is a cornerback and a senior for the USC football team. In his three-year collegiate career, Smith has 123 tackles, including 8.5 for loss (with 2 sacks), 3 pass breakups, 2 forced fumbles, 1 QB hurry, and an INT, while appearing in 33 games with 22 starts. He has a lot of experience, but that experience has not translated into elite results under previous defensive coordinator Alex Grinch and previous position coach Donte Williams. Smith and the other returning members of the USC secondary hope that incoming coach Doug Belk, with help from Taylor Mays, will provide a much higher quality of coaching which will transform the secondary this season.
Smith has that big responsibility on his plate, plus a key assignment in Week 1 against LSU, which figures to pose a considerable challenge to the Trojans. That’s a lot for any college cornerback.
In addition to his football assignment, Smith is also in a relationship with Olympic gymnast and medalist Suni Lee. Team USA’s gymnastics squad is a powerhouse. Lee won gold in the women’s all-around in at the Tokyo Summer Olympic Games a few years ago and medaled again in Paris 2024.
Smith has a high profile. Let’s see if, like Lee in Paris, Smith can perform well in the spotlight this fall when the competition gets intense.
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