Rookie Profile: Ainias Smith, Wide Receiver, Philadelphia Eagles
Welcome to the Rookie Profile: Ainias Smith, a Wide Receiver from Missouri City, TX who attended Dullus High School. Smith was a 3-star recruit and attended Texas A&M.
In 2019 as a freshman, Smith attended Texas A&M and appeared in 12 games. In that time he caught 22 passes for 248 yards and 3 touchdowns. He followed that up in 2020 as a sophomore in 10 games. During that time he caught 43 passes for 564 yards and 6 touchdowns.
In 2021, as a junior, his production would see a slight dip in 2 additional games. He hauled in 47 receptions but only managed 509 yards and 6 touchdowns. His 2022 season saw him battle injury, appearing in only 4 games. He caught 15 passes for 291 yards and 2 touchdowns and decided to return to school for one final season.
In 2023, as a senior he appeared in 12 games, catching 53 receptions for 795 yards and 2 touchdowns before declaring for the 2024 NFL Draft.
It should be noted that during the 2024 NFL Combine, a foot fracture was found in Smith’s medical examination and it’s currently unknown when he will have surgery and when he will be available to play.
Measurables
Draft Capital & Landing Spot
Draft Capital- Round 5 Pick 17 (152)
- A fifth-round pick is not a heavy investment, and usually should not be taken as an “Oh My – I need that guy” type of pick. However, Puka Nacua was drafted in the 5th round last year, so this could be a steal for the Eagles.
Landing Spot- Philadelphia Eagles
- Unlike Puka Nacua, Ainias Smith will have to fight for his target share in an offense with two elite wide receivers on the outside and a versatile running back.
- I enjoy this landing spot for Smith because the slot role for the Eagles is up for grabs. The two outside receivers are expected to be the same which means targets may not be plentiful for a slot in Philly. On the other hand, quarterback Jalen Hurts is consistently getting better and throwing more which could mean more opportunities to come to the slot.
Team Depth Chart
Expected Role: Slot Wide Receiver/Special Teams Returner
Depth Chart via Fantasy Pros
Fantasy Impact
The fantasy impact for Smith in year one might be minimal to secure any sort of victories in your leagues. That does not mean I am not drafting, and he might have more value if your league favors yards from special teams’ returners. Smith showed his elusiveness by evading would-be tacklers during his time at A&M. This could make him an excellent returner which again depending on your league could add value to his draft stock.
I do believe Smith carves out a role as a WR3 for the team, but when the other options are A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith the floor is closer than the ceiling. Smith will need to make every target count and continue to show his ability to gain yards after the catch to have any relevancy for standard fantasy leagues. I am drafting him to stash in Dynasty, but in redraft, I am avoiding him until I see his involvement in the offense.
Check out our 2024 Rookie Rankings Page for a full breakdown of this rookie class.
