Keidron Smith
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Boca Raton, Florida, U.S.
| No. 22 – New York Jets | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Safety | ||||
| Roster status | Active | ||||
| Personal information | |||||
| Born | November 1, 1999 Boca Raton, Florida, U.S. | ||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||
| Listed weight | 210 lb (95 kg) | ||||
| Career information | |||||
| High school | Oxbridge Academy (West Palm Beach, Florida) | ||||
| College | |||||
| NFL draft | 2023: undrafted | ||||
| Career history | |||||
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* Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||||
| Awards and highlights | |||||
| Career NFL statistics as of 2024 | |||||
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Keidron Ameer Smith (/kiːˈdrɑːn/ kee-DRAHN;[1] born November 1, 1999) is an American professional football safety for the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Ole Miss Rebels and Kentucky Wildcats and was signed by the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 2023. He has also been a member of the Washington Commanders and Denver Broncos.
Smith was born on November 1, 1999, in Boca Raton, Florida.[2] He grew up in West Palm Beach.[3] He attended Oxbridge Academy in West Palm Beach, where he was a standout football and basketball player.[4] He helped Oxbridge reach the state championship game as a senior and finished with career totals of seven interceptions and five touchdowns.[4] He was named The Palm Beach Post's 2017 defensive player of the year.[5] In basketball, he scored over 1,000 points in his career.[4] A three-star recruit, he committed to play college football for the Ole Miss Rebels.[6]
College career
As a freshman at Ole Miss in 2018, Smith appeared in all 12 games while recording 47 tackles and four pass breakups.[4] He started eight games in 2019 as a sophomore, totaling 48 tackles, 3.5 tackles-for-loss (TFLs) and a team-leading eight pass breakups.[4] In 2020, he played in 10 games and recorded 64 tackles, six passes defended and an interception.[7] For the 2021 season, Smith switched his position from cornerback to safety.[7] He started seven games while appearing in all 13 in 2021, ending with 64 tackles, 2.5 TFLs, three pass breakups and two interceptions.[8] He won the Chucky Mullins Courage Award for being the "Ole Miss upperclassman defensive player that embodies the spirit of Mullins – courage, leadership, perseverance, and determination".[8]
Smith entered the NCAA transfer portal following the 2021 season, using an extra year of eligibility granted to all players due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[7] He ended his stint at Ole Miss having made 224 tackles, 21 passes defended, five interceptions and five forced fumbles.[9] He ultimately transferred to the Kentucky Wildcats for his final season of college football.[10] With the Wildcats, he played all 13 games, 12 as a starter, and recorded 46 tackles, five passes defended and two interceptions, being named second-team All-Southeastern Conference (SEC).[11] At the conclusion of his collegiate career, he was invited to the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, and after impressing there, was selected for the 2023 Senior Bowl.[12]