Tykee Smith taking talents to next level, declares for NFL Draft
Georgia defensive back Tykee Smith is the latest Bulldog to make his NFL Draft decision known. The Philadelphia, Penn. native and All-SEC selection in the secondary took to social media to share his announcement: he’s headed pro.
“Dawg Nation, being a Georgia Bulldog for the past couple of years has been a blessing even through the hard times, and I am thankful for everyone that played a role in my journey! It has been an honor to represent the G and it is something I will cherish for life,” Smith wrote in a message shared on social media.
“To begin with, I would like to thank the coaches and staff at West Virginia for giving me the opportunity to begin my college football career. I’m forever grateful for the lessons learned and maturity gained while I was there. To my FAMILY, without y’all none of this would have been possible. I appreciated y’all more than y’al know. THANK Y’ALL!”
“To University of Georgia coaches and trainers, thank you! Y’all welcomed me with open armed. I appreciate y’all for believing in me and also helping me become the best version of myself on and off the field,” he continued. “To my brothers, I value our bond so much. Going to war with y’all every week has been the best. From the small memories to the big ones, I couldn’t ask for better guys to experience them with. LOVE 4L! To the best fans in the WORLD, thank you all for making my memories between the hedges some of the best times in my life and for your constant support.”
Smith’s career started elsewhere, transferring to Georgia in 2021 from West Virginia. There he was an All-American caliber player for the Mountaineers under the direction of eventual UGA assistant Jahmile Addae as Smith earned Freshman All-American status from the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) in 2019 before being named an All-American in some capacity by Pro Football Focus (1st), FWAA (2nd), Sporting News (2nd), Phil Steele (2nd) and the AP (3rd) in 2020.
Smith then spent three seasons in the red and black. An injury plagued 2021 season kept him off the field that year before playing in 14 games for the Bulldogs in 2022. This season, Smith played in all 14 games making 12 starts as he led Georgia in several defensive categories including tackles with 70 total stops, tackles for loss (8.5) and takeaways (four interceptions). He was named a Second-Team All-American by CBS Sports.
Smith is the third draft departure in the Georgia secondary, joining cornerback Kamari Lassiter and safety Javon Bullard. The Bulldogs will look to the likes of Julian Humphrey, Joenel Aguero and other youngsters – potentially even five-star plus+ signees Ellis Robinson and KJ Bolden – to help in replacing the lost talent.
More on Georgia and the NFL Draft…
Georgia has led the country in NFL Draft selections over the last three seasons with 34 in total. The Bulldogs also rank first over the last five with 48, boosted in large part due to the modern-era NFL Draft record 15 players that were picked in 2022 off of Georgia’s national championship-winning squad. Last year, UGA tied for the nation-high with 10 players picked.
In total, the Kirby Smart era at Georgia has seen 55 selections. You have to go all the way back to 1992 to find the last time at least one Bulldog was not taken in an NFL Draft. Georgia has had a player picked in the first round every year since 2018. That list includes Roquan Smith, Isaiah Wynn, Sony Michel, Deandre Baker, Andrew Thomas, Isaiah Wilson, Eric Stokes, Travon Walker, Jordan Davis, Quay Walker, Devonte Wyatt, Lewis Cine, Jalen Carter, Broderick Jones and Nolan Smith.
