Tykee Smith is off to the NFL, as the Georgia defensive back was taken by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with pick No. 89 in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Smith is the sixth Bulldog to be drafted this year, joining Brock Bowers, Amarius Mims, Ladd McConkey, Kamari Lassiter and Javon Bullard.
Smith had his best year at Georgia in 2023, when he led the Bulldogs in tackles, tackles for loss and interceptions.
The defensive back primarily played in the nickelback position for the Bulldogs, though he could potentially play the safety position at the next level.
Smith’s path to the draft was not an easy one. He spent his first two seasons at West Virginia, where he earned All-American honors. But after transferring to Georgia in 2021, he tore his ACL.
Yet Smith continued to contribute for the Bulldogs. He became a starter for Georgia in 2023, appearing in all 14 games for the Bulldogs. He earned Second Team All-SEC honors for his play last season, as did Bullard and Lassiter.
“I’m happy for Tykee. He’s worked really hard,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said of Smith. “He had a significant injury. When you have a significant injury, sometimes it takes two years to come back from that. He’s a guy that, first year back, he wasn’t as ready to play as he was this year. He had an outstanding year this year, he expected to. He ran well. He’s a fierce competitor.”
Smith shined during the pre-draft process. He earned rave reviews for his play during the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala. At the NFL combine, Smith put forth an impressive showing running a 4.48 40-yard dash.
Georgia has now had three defensive backs taken in the 2024 NFL Draft, as Lassiter went in the second round to the Houston Texans. Bullard came off the board with pick No. 58 to the Green Bay Packers.
“Where I come from, you have to be tough to survive,” Smith said prior to the NFL combine. “My pride it too big to let someone come out there and overpower me.”
Smith is from Philadelphia. He is the first transfer player drafted from Georgia since Derion Kendrick went in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
In landing with Tampa Bay, Smith will play for head coach Todd Bowles, whose son Troy was teammates with Smith at Georgia.
Tykee Smith 2024 NFL Draft measurables and stats
- Height: 5-foot-10
- Weight: 202 pounds
- Arm: 31 5/8-inches
- Hand: 9 1/4-inches
- 40-yard dash: 4.48
- 10-yard split: 1.58
- Vertical: 36-inches
- Broad jump: 10-feet
