Rookie Tykee Smith, who has made headlines with his intellectual approach and football IQ, has continued to bolster the Buccaneers’ defense throughout training camp. Tampa Bay has been utilizing Smith as a nickel corner, free safety and strong safety. His play on the field has been praised by both coaches and teammates.

“He’s done a phenomenal job, especially in terms of stepping up our defense,” noted Antoine Winfield Jr. “You know, it’s loaded. He does a great job. He runs with the ones and gets things like that, so he gets going quickly.”

In Todd Bowles’ complex defense, the safeties have their hands full, including manning the post, setting edges against the run in the box, and blitzing. Smith’s flexibility in the back end at the college level has translated into his acclimation and ascension in the NFL.

The Bucs selected Smith in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft and quickly began to carve out a role for him on defense. He played two seasons at West Virginia before transferring to Georgia in 2021. Smith quickly became a playmaker on one of the best defenses in the country, and in 2023 he amassed 70 tackles, 2.0 sacks, 8.5 tackles for loss, four interceptions and six passes defensed — leading the team in each of those last three categories.

At Georgia, Smith held the nickelback role in Kirby Smart’s base scheme, becoming an enforcer near the line of scrimmage. Smith played post free safety for West Virginia and has brought those skills to Tampa Bay’s secondary. He has worked with the first team and demonstrated his knowledge of the system. Smith’s dedication to film study has encouraged a quick game without much hesitation on the field. He flies downhill with a deadly trigger and is a rugged tackler who imposes his will at the point of contact. Smith shines in coverage with hip fluidity and bursts out of his breaks. A lot of work was placed on him as a rookie, but he handled the responsibility with ease. Throughout the duration of offseason workouts and the final two preseason friendly games, Smith’s progress is worth cataloging.

“(He’s) a very smart football player,” teammate Kaevon Merriweather said. “I remember at Georgia, he played at a very high level. I think he played in two or three national championships, so he’s been on the big stage, so I think it’s no difference or change for him to get to this level. (He’s) just a very smart football player, very talented, and he’s definitely going to have a very bright future ahead of him.”