Jared Smith

Physical Profile

Listed at 6-5 and 330 pounds on the Rutgers roster, up from 6-5, 270 at the Under Armour Atlanta camp in early 2025 and 6-5, 320 to 325 through his commitment. That 60-pound swing in roughly 18 months reflects a frame that carries mass easily rather than a conditioning problem. Wingspan reported near 6-10, which is elite for a guard and gives him first-contact advantage on every rep. Broad-shouldered, barrel-chested build with a naturally low center of gravity for his height. The mass and length fit a gap-scheme guard profile; the mobility profile does not support a long-term tackle projection despite his high school reps there.

Play Style

A mass-and-power guard who wins by landing hands first, anchoring, and driving through the whistle. On film his size shows up first, but on second look the identifying trait is his mentality: he does not stop until his man is down or out of the play. He was a competitive, feisty camp performer who improved his stock in live one-on-ones rather than in measurables alone. Projects best in a gap and power scheme where he can fire off the ball vertically and displace defenders rather than reach and cut off laterally. Also competed in track and field, which suggests more functional athleticism than the mobility critique alone implies.

Strengths

• Anchor and power at contact: at the 2025 Under Armour Next camp in Atlanta he was the only lineman in attendance to consistently slow the top Southeast pass rushers in one-on-ones, held up at tackle while splitting reps, gave up almost no ground once engaged, and was named offensive line MVP.
• Hand placement and length: 247Sports scouting director Andrew Ivins specifically credits his strong hand placement, and the near 6-10 wingspan lets him land first and control defenders through the rep rather than catching them.
• Finishing temperament: film evaluations repeatedly note a nasty streak. He blocks through the whistle, puts assignments on the ground, and plays with a tone-setting mentality that translates directly to a physical Big Ten run game.
• Bloodline and coaching context: his uncle Tyron Smith is a two-time All-Pro tackle, and he was recruited by veteran offensive line coach Pat Flaherty, which points to a strong developmental track and technique-first foundation.

Areas to Improve

• Lateral mobility and redirect: the primary knock from 247Sports is limited movement skills. Zone-scheme reach blocks, pulling across the formation, and recovering against inside counters will be the developmental focus.
• Weight management as he matures: at 330 pounds as an 18-year-old with a frame that adds mass quickly, he needs to find his optimal playing weight rather than continuing to grow, or the mobility concern becomes a ceiling rather than a development item.
• Pass-set consistency against speed: he handled top camp rushers with power and anchor, but sustaining that against Big Ten edge speed and stunts from a two-point guard stance needs refinement of footwork and set depth.

College Projection

Ivins's projection is a potential Power Four starter after a likely redshirt, and the current situation supports that timeline. Rutgers's 2026 two-deep at both guard spots is entirely redshirt seniors and juniors, and Smith is not on the depth chart entering the season. Expect a redshirt year in 2026 with development under Flaherty, then competition for a starting guard job in 2027 as that senior-heavy interior graduates. He should be a multi-year starter at guard from 2027 or 2028 forward.

NFL Outlook

Real but conditional draft potential. The combination of 6-5 height, near 6-10 wingspan, 330-pound mass, natural anchor, and a finisher's temperament is the raw material for a mid-to-late-round guard. The Tyron Smith bloodline will draw evaluator attention. The path to a draftable grade runs entirely through mobility development and weight management. If he stays in the 320 to 325 range and shows he can pull and redirect in a Big Ten scheme by his third year, he profiles as a Day 3 pick with starting-caliber power traits. If mobility stalls, he settles in as a college-only starter.

Best Fit

A downhill, gap-and-power run scheme with a veteran offensive line coach and a reasonable timeline to the field. Rutgers, a physical Big Ten program with Pat Flaherty coaching the line and a senior-heavy interior that clears out after 2026, is close to an ideal developmental fit. He would be miscast in a wide-zone or tempo-spread offense that asks guards to reach-block and climb laterally on every snap.