USC cornerback Jaylin Smith selected by the Houston Texans in third round of 2025 NFL Draft
Cornerback Jaylin Smith became the first USC Trojan to hear his name called during the 2025 NFL Draft as the Houston Texans selected him with the 97th overall pick and 33rd pick of the third round.
Smith was arguably the most improved USC player on either side of the ball in 2024 as he moved from nickel to outside cornerback and flourished under position coach Doug Belk and defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn.
He finished the year with 59 tackles, two interceptions and two pass breakups. He earned All-Big Ten Third Team honors.
In heading to Houston, Smith will have an opportunity to reunite with a former teammate and good friend in safety Calen Bullock. The two defensive backs arrived at USC in the same recruiting class, Bullock as the nation’s No. 184 overall prospect in the 2021 class and Smith at No. 250. Bullock also went to the Texans as a third-round pick, taken No. 78 overall last year. He intercepted five passes in an outstanding rookie season.
Smith continues to long streaks for former USC players in the NFL Draft. USC and Michigan are still the only two schools with at least one NFL draft selection every year since 1939. And Smith extends USC’s longest active streak in the nation with at least one player drafted in the top three rounds. That is now at 24 years in a row for the Trojans (and was in real jeopardy this season with just five third-round picks taken after Smith).
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Smith is overall draft pick No. 531 for the USC Trojans, who remain several behind Notre Dame for the all-time lead in that category.
What they’re saying about Smith
Post-draft analysis from ESPN’s Matt Miller: “Smith was one of the biggest risers in the predraft process thanks to a great Senior Bowl week and fast combine times. He is more of a developmental cornerback than true starter as a rookie. Cornerback wasn’t high on the Texans’ list of needs with Derek Stingley Jr. and Kamari Lassiter around, but he could represent a value on the inside with his short-area quickness and long speed.”
ESPN Texans beat writer DJ Bien-Aime: “My take: The Texans don’t have any needs for starters at cornerback, but they could use some depth on rookie contracts. The starters are Derek Stingley Jr., Kamari Lassiter and Jalen Pitre in the nickel. But behind them are veterans who’ve bounced around the NFL like Ronald Darby while Tremon Smith and D’Angelo Ross are special team guys. Smith gives them some youth at the corner spot.”
