As we are nearing the 2021 NFL Draft in less than two weeks, I have decided to give some much needed love to a few of the Specialists entering the draft. Today, we will be taking a look at James Smith, the Punter out of Cincinnati. During his time at Cincinnati, Smith was a 4-year starter and was a Ray Guy Award finalist multiple times. He was also an AAC conference All-American every year. He learned to punt through the famed ProKick Academy in Australia, and was originally a professional Australian Rules Football player. He was also an AAC Academic All-American as a Communications major, with a double minor in Digital Engagement and Film & Media studies. Smith is also a mature prospect, as he graduated high school in 2012, meaning he is 27 years old entering this year’s draft. To scout Smith, I viewed the following games: vs. Memphis (2020), at USF (2019), and at Memphis (2019).
Pros:
Smith is an extremely accurate Punter whose numbers exceed some of the highest drafted Punters in NFL history. He has a great ability to pin an opponent deep in their own end. Smith is a 4-year starter, with a great net yardage as well as solid hang time and punting form. He shows glimpses of having a booming leg, as he has multiple career punts over 60 yards. He is a smart guy with what seems to be a good personality as well.
Cons:
The main glaring weakness of Smith’s game is his slow snap-to-punt time. Although he never had a blocked punt in his career, I am worried that he may have troubles with a full rush coming at him, since it will force him to speed up his tempo. His numbers are also a bit lower than my ideal benchmarks on punting yard averages, but that may be due to the quality of Cincinnati’s offense over the last few years. He is also 27 years old going into the draft, which may scare teams away if they are worried that he won’t want a long career.
Bottom Line:
The bottom line with James Smith is that he is a fantastic punting prospect and should be considered as an NFL punter. He has fantastic accuracy, and can be a huge difference maker in the 3rd phase of the game. You may need to scheme a great protection system around him, but there isn’t much to worry about overall in regard to Smith’s game. My sources say that he has the potential to be the first Punter drafted this year.
Prospect Grade: 6.1 – NFL Starter
