Senior Bowl director Jim Nagy breaks down expectations for Ainias Smith

Texas A&M wide receiver Ainias Smith is back for a fifth season with the Aggies after his senior year was cut short with an injury. He could have declared for the NFL Draft but Smith elected to try and give his pro stock one final boost this season with a revamped Texas A&M squad.

Senior Bowl director Jim Nagy told On3’s Andy Staples on his podcast Monday that he thinks Smith projects to be a slot receiver at the next level.

“He had the injury last year,” Nagy said. “He’s a guy that was firmly on our radar and then had the injury and that really forced him to come back. I know he was thinking about maybe coming out regardless, just coming out injured and rolling the dice, see what happens. But he’s a smaller guy. When you get up on him, he’s certainly not a big man. But he plays bigger than that. He’s got some substance to him on contact, which slot receivers at the next level need to have. I think that’s what he projects as.”

Smith has played multiple positions for the Aggies over the years, including wideout, running back and return specialist.

He has returned 62 punts for 551 yards with one touchdown; caught 127 passes for 1,612 yards and 17 touchdowns; and rushed the ball 67 times for 384 yards.

In just four games last year, he had 15 catches for 291 yards and two touchdowns.

“He projects as a slot, return guy, gadget guy.” Nagy said. “He is good with the ball in his hands. They’ve used him at running back over his career there. I think the real kind of easy thing to do right now is label like he’s Deebo Samuel. There’s not going to be another Deebo for a while…but in that vein. That’s going to be the role. Does he play that role as well as Deebo? Not many guys do but I think that’s what everyone’s looking for, that hybrid playmaker, wide receiver, running back, returner. I do think the return stuff will help him. If he can prove that he’s a legit punt returner at the next level, that’ll help Ainias Smith.”