Ah, the good ol' days. Remember those days? Don Brown would roam around the Northeast, punking Notre Dame for underrated DE/DT tweeners who play against law firms on the sets of Harry Potter movies, but only after Brian Dohn and wonderful Irish reporters like Tim Prister and Kevin Sinclair left us with our fill of detailed and accurate scouting?

Those days are gone. Behind the colonial architecture and hillocks, the Smith Twins are military kids from Kentucky who've lived in Japan, and "go home" to Carolina where their Marine dad is now stationed. They also just switched from one elite boarding school in Connecticut to another. But the Notre Dame interest was real, and went on a very long time, so we've got plenty of that good Prister and Sinclair scouting. And they both think this twin's an Anchor.

GURU RATINGS

RATINGS BY SITE
247: 6'3/265	On3: 6'2.5/255	Rivals: 6'3/257	ESPN: 6'3/270
4*, 90, #230 Ovr #27 DL, #4 CT	3*, 88, NR Ovr #50 DL, #6 CT	4*, 5.8, NR Ovr #23 SDE, #3 CT	4*, 82, #169 Ovr #9 DT, #4 CT
4.01	3.66	3.86	4.35
COMPOSITE RANKINGS
247 Composite	On3 Consensus	MGoBlog
4*, 0.9105, #270 Ovr #30 DL, #4 CT	4*, 89.85, #316 Ovr #28 DL, #4 CT	3.5*, #434/785 Ovr #37/68 DTs since 1990
4.11	3.99	3.93

Smith and his (fraternal) twin Jacob were early national recruits who traveled to camps all over the country. When the 2024 class debuted a year ago they were rewarded with top-100 rankings. Jerod was a 90 and #55 overall to 247, his brother #72. Those early ranks are always expected to fall as the class reveals itself, and lo Jerod fell to #143 last July, and to #184 at the end of the summer. Around then Jacob started to slid ever so much over his brother, but 247 gave Jerod a bump back to #145 after the junior tape came in. That's since slipped down to what you see above in the last re-rank. Jacob is nearby at #212.

It was a similar adventure on Rivals. Adam Friedman named DL as the strongest position of the 2024 crop, and named Jerod among eight guys who could be a 5-star when the class shakes out, but he was at #210 when they debuted the class, hung around the 220s, and fell out of the top-250 in March. There's nothing written on either from a scouting perspective yet from On3 or ESPN, whose ranking dates back to an Alabama-Georgia swing last summer.

Michigan didn't offer the twins until early January of this year, by which point they had already taken over 20 visits, including three to Alabama and two to Notre Dame, who was expecting to wrap up those recruitments any day.

[AFTER THE JUMP: Prister and Sinclair go to work]

SCOUTING

Brian Dohn's last look is now eight months old, so keep in mind he was talking about a guy they had in the Top-50 at this point.

Has verified size and a thick frame with ability to play at 290 pounds. Agile with an impressive sub 4.5 shuttle and sub 5.0 in 40 during camp in May. Played with low pad level and low center of gravity during in-person evals and on tape. Productive player with 12 sacks and 29 tackles for loss as sophomore.

Played everywhere from nose to five-technique in 3-4 defense. Uncoils and fires off quickly at snap. Covers ground quickly in first two steps and gets up field in hurry. Shows strength and power throughout frame. Anchors well at point of attack. Can stack and shed and also fight through double teams.

Active hands makes it tough for blockers to stay engaged. Very good body control. Re-directs well along line of scrimmage. Instinctual and reacts quickly. Plays with energy and effort. Can chase plays down.

Has to continue to add size, mass and strength to play interior defensive line in college. Has to continue to develop technique and not rely so heavily on athleticism and strength. Has to make sure he remains assignment-oriented. Earlier contributor at a top 20 program. Early to mid round NFL draft potential.

Dohn was also talking about a guy midway through his sophomore year of high school at the time and projecting him to DT. Smith has continued to grow, but not so fast that he'll be 290 when he gets to college. ND scout extraordinaire 1A Tim Prister did a writeup on both twins in January. I've ellipses'd through the Jacob parts for now. Spot the common thread.

played some strongside end for the Pelicans but projects inside … Both have great motors—mirroring the Ademilolas—and a real quality use of the hands. These are try-hard, battling, relentless competitors who clearly love the game and relish the contact and activity, which is a great starting point.

… He has aligned at end, three-technique and zero-technique for the Pelicans. He sheds blocks well with strength and the scrambling use of his hands.

He gets off blocks and makes plays. His fight makes it difficult to cross his face, which is a necessary trait of a defensive lineman. He’s a power guy who brings his lunch pail and settles in for a long day’s work. He’s a bucking bronco who makes opponents fight to stay along for the ride.

Jerod’s first-step quickness is very good. It’s the steps after that that have him ranked as a lower four-star compositely. He can be a bit deliberate in his change of direction. He doesn’t always quite have the burst he flashes with his first step off the snap, which makes me think that he might be a better nose tackle than three-technique on the next level.

And yet his want-to is so extreme that he’ll put in the work to improve that quickness and fight to become a legit three-technique on the next level. There are times when he runs a long way to make a play, but I don’t believe he has the pure running speed of Jayson Ademilola.

A concern is one that sometimes cropped up for Jayson Ademilola. Jayson’s want-to is in the 95th percentile, but a lack of bulk worked against him at times. That could be an issue for Jerod as well, particularly if Notre Dame begins leaning toward more three-down fronts that force a defense to accentuate size/bulk up front.

Basically if he was bigger he'd be Graham Mason, but he's got to get a lot bigger. Scout Extraordinaire 1B Kevin Sinclair's first impression last August was of a 265-pound swing 3-4 DE who might grow into a 280 type.

At six-foot-three and 265 pounds, Jerod Smith is built for the three and five-technique roles. … Smith is very quick and violent off the snap and he uses his hands efficiently. He’s very active with his hands, showing a knack for slipping blocks, disarming offensive linemen quickly and effectively.

While lining up overtop the center, on either edge, playing every technique across the defensive front, this is a versatile lineman.

This was around the same time the Smith brothers were the top DL prospects at a UCReport camp in New Jersey last May, and Dohn saw plenty of growth potential.

Smith has a frame in which he can add plenty of size and strength, which is scary considering where he is at this point. He has flexibility throughout his frame and he was agile during drills. He moved effortlessly and was balanced. In one-on-ones, he was quick at the snap, changed direction well and played low.

However Kentucky was already saying they were going to use him like Josh Paschal, the Lions' DE/DT tweener who topped out at 275 in college and can't pass rush for shit, but has a great attitude about it.

As of last October Loomis Chafee Head coach Adam Banks (via Sinclair) projected Jerod to 3-tech:

…just because he does have the strength and power. Also the ability to kind of dent the line of scrimmage and be disruptive in there, as well. And he's at a good way for himself right now for us, but he could definitely hold a little bit more and still be just as powerful and fast and twitchy as he is right now in the inside as he is currently on the outside, but on the inside (in college).

By this February months later, Sinclair was still excited about the "promising mobility and versatility" but also despairing that Smith could even get to 3-tech.

He’s listed at 275 pounds but appears to have trimmed down some in recent months. … I believe he could play the big end position in college if he isn’t inside at defensive tackle. Perhaps he could play both. Either way, he’s a quick-triggered run defender who can use that mobility to get after the quarterback.

The reporter was also making it clear Notre Dame was more desperate to get Jacob for their weakside edge (they call it "vyper") position. That's a need-based distinction—the Irish are thin at rush edge but have a few bodies at big, and are likely to get legacy Bryce (son of Bryan) Young soon for 2024.

Into this walked Michigan, with lots of tape of Mike Morris. It sounds like it resonated:

“Most schools see me as a hand in the dirt type defensive lineman,” Smith told The Wolverine. “Only a few schools sees me as a defensive end. Mostly a three-tech or 4i. No standing up or EDGE rushing.”

…while Michigan saw him at strongside end. Georgia, for what it's worth, was talking about the same plan—"big end" in their 3-4 setup—but I'm not sure they had a committable offer on the table. Smith does have a preference, but it's not a demand.

“I like to play on the end, but, of course, in college, I'll be playing like a three, four-tech,” Smith said. “I don't mind playing inside. But, of course, I prefer to play outside because I think it's more fun. But, I mean, I still enjoy playing on the inside. So, it's all good.”

That heavy edge position, the one the Ravens drafted Chris Wormley for, is a bit of a weird one in college football because not many other programs will put a DT'ish gut on the edge (because they can't get the linebackers to get away with it). 2023 recruit Cameron Brandt has a similar profile and was interested in a similar role.

Is that where Jerod's heading? Rivals' Adam Friedman got out to Chaffee last May:

Smith looks even bigger and more agile than we had seen before, and when he was going through the bag drills he showed off more of the aggressive style that we’ve come to expect from him.

But acknowledged in February that Smith was one of the toughest to rank in the national class.

has been a well-known prospect for a long time and his continued physical development has been a major talking point.

In other words, he was crazy athletic if he continued to grow, but maybe didn't grow. It wasn't for lack of workouts—the twins' Marine dad saw to that. For what its worth, their Loomis coach portrays Jerod as the responsible brother:

… personality-wise, they're completely different. They're polar opposites. But they definitely have that reliance on one another to kind of achieve whatever they're trying to get done. … Jerod is a really strong kid, has really worked on his skill set and things like that. He's really good for Jacob in terms of Jacob's just really naturally talented. Jerod is also very naturally talented, but for Jacob, a lot of it comes easy. So, Jerod kind of holds his feet to the fire, makes sure that he's doing what he needs to be doing from a development standpoint and things like that.

OFFERS

It's hard to know if the Alabama offer was committable—usually when a guy gets offered at their camp, as was the case here, it's real. But it could have been real with a time limit on it too.

I don't think this is a complete list but by my count Smith visited Tennessee, Kentucky, Louisville, Louisville again, Alabama, Ohio State, North Carolina, Wake Forest, Alabama again, Georgia, Iowa, Ohio State again, Kentucky again, Notre Dame, Alabama a third time, Ohio State a third time, Notre Dame again, Georgia again, Alabama a fourth time, Nebraska, Michigan, Penn State, and Notre Dame a third time. Jacob recently revisited Nebraska, but Jerod didn't go.

Of these, Notre Dame seemed to lead for most of the way. Tom Loy was pretty certain the Irish would win out a week before Michigan offered,

I believe Notre Dame has cemented themselves as the team to beat for Windsor (Conn.) Loomis Chafee four-star defensive tackle Jerod Smith and four-star defensive end Jacob Smith, two top targets from the class of 2024. I expected to put these predictions in eventually, but I’m not sure I was planning on throwing these picks in this early. But when things are trending positively and sources feel good, I’m willing to ride with it.

And still highly confident a few weeks ago. Kentucky had a real shot since the brothers mostly grew up close by. I'm not sure if the Georgia and Alabama offers were committable.

HIGH SCHOOLS

Loomis Chaffee is a world-class boarding school with a world class physical training center, and collects a ton of talent from all over the country. The world, really—remember Michigan got Alessandro Lorenzetti out of there last year. Alabama got 4-star OT Olaus Alinen this year, Miami (yest THAT Miami) is getting 3.5* TE Jackson Carver, and the RB is going to Wake Forest.

Also the Smiths aren't going to Loomis anymore, transferring with their quarterback to Cheshire Academy this semester because Loomis doesn't allow early graduation. You may remember Cheshire from such players as Tarik Black and Josh Jobe. Reno is going to South Carolina. Both schools play a spate of top New England/New York academies you may remember from Don Brown recruitments like Choate (Tristan Bounds, Manuel Biegel, Hunter Reynolds), Suffield (Kechaun Bennett, Davis Warren, Will Rolapp), Brunswick (Cornelius Johnson) and Milton (Kalel Mullings).

Based on a 2021 interview, their Marine dad has been behind the boys' training, seeing a nutritionist, reclassifying from 2023s to 2024s. A lot of lifestyle changes that Smith's Michigan teammates will encounter next year are already old hat to the twins. Up to their first sophomore year, the Smith brothers grew up in Somerset, KY, near Lexington, except for three years when their dad was stationed in Japan. He's now stationed in South Carolina, but they summered back in Somerset when not touring all the schools (again).

Getting Jerod obviously puts Michigan in a good spot to land Jacob, as they told Chad Simmons of On3.

“I feel we’ll probably end up going to the same school, just because we have similar interests and the same goals,” Jacob told On3. According to Jacob, he and Jerod are on the “same page about every school.” However, they are open playing for different programs.

“I don’t think it’s a no-brainer,” Jerod told On3. “If we both like School A, we’ll both go to School A. But if I like School A and he likes School B, then I guess we’ll split up.”

Side note: the DL depth chart is starting to become quite the who's who of primary educational institutions. I'm looking down the list from edge to 3T and we've got Lycée Alfred Kastler de Cergy-Pontoise in Paris (Koumba), Berkley Prep (Harrell), Everett (Stewart), Mansfield (Guy), Bolingbrook (McLaurin), Suffield Academy (Bennett), Loyola Academy (Bahr), St. Frances (Moore), Chicago Brother Rice (Pierce), Sierra "LeBron and Gwyneth Paltrow are in the pickup line" Canyon (Brandt), Colleyville Covenant (Etta), Cheshire Academy (Smith), Choate (Beigel), and Loomis Chaffee (Lorenzetti). Oh, and Port Huron Northern (McGregor) just hanging out in the middle of it.

This might be a pattern with Elston, who recruited for Notre Dame for years.

STATS

According to 247, Smith had 40 tackles, 25 TFLs, and 10 sacks in nine(!!!) games last year. He had 26 TFLs and 12 sacks over 10 games as a sophomore.

FAKE 40 TIME

No 40 time.

VIDEO

Junior highlights:

More on his Hudl page.

ETC

Father's name is also Jerod but I've not seen a "Jr." or a "II" applied anywhere—might be the son has different middle name. UA invitee. Been everywhere, man.

“I was born in Lexington, Kentucky. But we're military, so I moved to South Carolina, North Carolina, Japan, back to Kentucky. And then I started taking sports seriously in middle school. And then we moved up to Connecticut (before) my second sophomore year to play football,” Smith said.

“That's a little bit (of my) background. All my sisters play sports. Mom, dad played sports. And my older brother played sports as well. So, athletic family.

PREDICTION BASED ON FLIMSY EVIDENCE

One thing that's abundantly clear from the Smiths' writeups is their parents are on top of their game, so much so that they're revealing fascinating things about the rankers' internal algorithms, e.g. how multiple trips to Alabama register as heavy Alabama interest. That works against Jerod the younger from a ceiling standpoint—getting ranked early is going to keep the stars artificially high—but raises the floor. One of the great tripping points in any college career is the culture shock of going from the life an American high schooler to that of a (let's be real) professional athlete. From the military family to the boarding school and the training and travel schedules, it'd be hard to find a player who's coming in more acclimated.

Good to their word, Michigan probably intends to start Smith at the heavy edge spot. He should come in more on the developed side, but they've built up quite a lot of depth there—McGregor and Derrick Moore are here for awhile yet, Enow Etta was the highest ranked player in the 2023 class, and Herbert knows what form a Kechaun Bennett, Aymeric Koumba, or Chibi Anwunah could take when they emerge from Ben's lab. If you're seeing Smith pop out ahead of those guys we've got a Mike Morris/Chris Wormley on our hands and LFG.

Like Brandt in the 2023 class however, I like Smith for that Kris Jenkins role, which does get to be the SDE sometimes but more often is just a 3-tech. We've been calling it DT, but remember, Michigan has two "DTs" (plus a nose) in their 5-2 setup, and doesn't differentiate between which 3T came from the strong or weak side when one comes off the field for nickel. The advanced hands, the first step explosion, the pad level, and the—to borrow a term—"bucking bronco" attributes get more bang for their buck at the Jenkins spot, while the Morris position needs a guy with plus pursuit speed (see: Welschof vs Georgia) that's noticeably absent from the Smith profile. It's also an easier depth chart to climb.

UPSHOT FOR THE REST OF THE CLASS

Well, it doesn't hurt them with Jacob Smith for the Edge spot, though Henschke reported he'll "need some more convincing($)," something they'll have a chance to do in June, via EJ Holland. Chris Partridge also has Michigan recruiting NC 2* LB Jaden Smith (no relation), which could set up a *triple* J.Smith class.

Michigan now has three DL committed for 2024, two of them at Connecticut boarding schools. Is Beigel looking around? He was in Ann Arbor for the spring game, but a little over a week ago, right about the time the crystal balls flipped blue for Smith, Beigel reported offers from Penn State and Georgia on his Twitter account. However the former offer is as an offensive lineman, and Beigel projects to nose tackle. I'm always concerned about Georgia, but I doubt Smith changes things for him.

Brian Robinson, it might. Robinson is that "Why aren't you in the class yet?" guy that Michigan's been recruiting out of Austintown, Ohio, a suburb of Youngstown, and like Smith is projected to play the Heavy spot. Robinson's visited eight times. He's tight with 2023 freshman Jason Hewlett. His dad grew up with Steve Clinkscale. His dad is also first cousins with *DENARD* Robinson. And yet confidence in Robinson choosing Michigan suddenly dipped($) right about the time rumors were putting Smith in the class.

THE CLASS AS IT STANDS

OFFENSE
Pos	Player	State	Stars	In a nutshell
QB	Jadyn Davis	NC	4.7⬇	Smooth, accurate field general
RB	Jordan Marshall	OH	4.4⬆	Accelerates South-North
TE	Brady Prieskorn	MI	4.5⬆	Colston Loveland Midwest
TE	Hogan Hansen	WA	4.1	Colston Loveland West
OL	Andrew Sprague	MO	4.3⬆⬆	Basketballin' grow-a-Long
OL	Blake Frazier	TX	4.1⬆	Athletic son of Steve
OL	Luke Hamilton	OH	4.0	Midwestern mauler
OL	Ben Roebuck	OH	3.9⬇⬇	Bigger Midwestern mauler
DEFENSE
Pos	Player	State	Stars	In a nutshell
DT	Ted Hammond	OH	4.0⬆	Cincy build-a-bear
DT	Manuel Beigel	CT	3.6⬇	Lengthy German via Choate
SDE	Jerod Smith	CT	3.9⬇⬇	Low-pads, high-motor big twin
MLB	Mason Curtis	TN	4.2⬆	Long athlete moving up
S	Jacob Oden	MI	4.2	Tall son of coach

Our 2024 recruiting board lives here.