Las Vegas Raiders select Christopher Smith in 5th round of 2023 NFL Draft

Christopher Smith is coming off a big year for Georgia in 2022. He’ll now try to make an impact at the next level.

The Las Vegas Raiders selected Smith in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft. He spent the last five seasons with the Bulldogs and helped them to two straight national championships.

In 2022, Smith totaled 61 tackles, 5.0 tackles for loss and a sack. He also had three interceptions to lead the Bulldogs as a key part of their vaunted defense, which ranked No. 10 in the nation in total defense. It was the biggest season of his career and an impressive follow-up to his 2021 campaign, which saw him finish with 34 tackles, a tackle for loss and three interceptions — including a pick-six against Clemson in the season opener.

All told, Smith had 132 tackles, 6.0 for loss, 1.0 sack and six interceptions during his five years in Athens.

One of the biggest games of Smith’s career at Georgia came at a good time. He had eight tackles to help lead the Bulldogs past Ohio State in the College Football Playoff semifinal this past year en route to another title. In the national championship shortly thereafter, he had three tackles as Georgia cruised past TCU to bring home another trophy.

Smith played high school football at Hapeville Charter (Ga.), where he was a four-star prospect. He was the No. 356 overall recruit in the 2018 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

What NFL Draft analysts are saying about Christopher Smith

Smith might not project as a starter — he’s a projected “average backup or special teamer,” according to NFL.com — but draft analyst Lance Zierlein said he has some skills that could translate well to the next level. At the NFL scouting combine, he ran a 4.62 40-yard dash and had a 1.56 10-yard split. That speed could help him keep pace with receivers running routes, and that could help offset his smaller stature.

“Undersized free safety with decent athletic ability and toughness to bolster roster depth,” Zierlein wrote. “Smith has man-cover talent and range to play over the top, but he was often more effective attacking downhill on routes underneath and stopping plays. He’s willing in run support but tackling big backs could be an issue. Despite his limited size, his reliability in coverage is a big advantage against today’s offensive attacks.”