Tykee Smith Brings “Dawg Mindset” To Bucs Secondary

Since drafting him with the 89th choose within the 2024 NFL Draft final week, there was loads of excessive reward inside the Bucs’ constructing about what Tykee Smith can carry to Tampa Bay’s secondary.

There’s a lot to love about Smith’s background and bodily traits, from the flexibility he confirmed at each West Virginia and Georgia, to the 4.46 40-yard time and 5-10, 205-pound body that he makes use of so effectively to make tackles and make performs on the soccer.

He’ll now have each likelihood to showcase his abilities and be Todd Bowles’ newest defensive chesspiece.

Bucs Anticipate Tykee Smith To Compete Proper Away At Each Security And Nickel

Tykee Smith is coming right into a revamped Bucs’ secondary that has seen loads of shake-ups, as famous on Wednesday’s Pewter Report Podcast. Here’s a take a look at the important thing additions and subtractions (to date) this offseason.

Additions: Jordan Whitehead, Bryce Corridor, Tavierre Thomas, Tykee Smith

Subtractions: Carlton Davis III, Ryan Neal, Dee Delaney

Bucs DB Tykee Smith – Photograph courtesy of Georgia

For a Tampa Bay secondary seeking to make extra performs subsequent season, the workforce did effectively bringing in a wide range of gamers that add the flexibility head coach Todd Bowles covets in his defensive backs. Smith, the youngest of the group, has essentially the most upside, and is predicted to compete on the nickel place in addition to function the third security behind Jordan Whitehead and Antoine Winfield Jr. – also called “Mr. Winfield.”

“Tykee Smith might be what Coach Bowles all the time desires to get in a security,” safeties coach Nick Rapone stated this week. “That means, we’d like him taller if we will, however he’s 4.46 and we cross-train a lot as a result of through the season if any person breaks a fingernail. So, he’ll are available in as a security and a nickel. It may very well be nickel-safety [or] safety-nickel. We’ll see how the progress goes, however he offers you a 205-pound body, he’s productive, he’s bodily, he can run, and he’s used to successful. It’s essential.”

As a Bulldog final season, Smith had a profession 12 months, recording 70 whole tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, six move deflections, a team-high 4 interceptions, and two sacks throughout 14 video games. Within the course of, he not solely displayed his do-it-all playstyle however did so taking part in for a Georgia program that’s recognized for churning out loads of NFL-ready expertise.

“I feel we’d anticipate him to come back in right here and compete straight away,” Bucs assistant normal supervisor John Spytek stated after drafting Smith. “That’s an incredible program at Georgia. If you sit down with these children at Georgia – particularly the defensive gamers – and also you discuss by coverages with them, blitzes, all of that stuff, they’re so well-drilled and schooled you could see why they’re so good at taking part in protection within the SEC. After which, they need to be actually proficient athletes, too.

Bucs DB Tykee Smith – Photograph courtesy of Georgia

“So I feel from that standpoint, Tykee is manner forward of numerous children that may enter the NFL. In a protection the place we ask numerous our secondary, specifically, they need to know numerous issues, they need to be versatile, they need to assume actually quick, assume on the fly. To me, that’s all the time the largest hurdle. These guys that you just choose on Day 1 and Day 2, they’re often fairly good athletes, it’s actually the psychological stuff that can gradual them down. So for Tykee, I feel we’d anticipate him to come back in and compete for that nickel spot straight away. Nothing’s promised right here, clearly, however we’ll see the way it goes.”

Smith himself mentioned taking part in each positions and having Winfield to be taught from. There is no such thing as a one higher to be taught the instruments of the commerce than the All-Professional security who has dabbled in taking part in varied roles in Tampa Bay.

“When [Todd Bowles and I] talked, he stated he may see me taking part in security or nickel,” Smith stated after being drafted. “If I play security then, clearly, I get a possibility to be taught from Antoine Winfield [Jr.], which might be a blessing [considering] the affect he has on the sport. [I] positively can’t wait to get round him and see the kind of participant he’s and be taught underneath him.”

Tykee Smith Will Match Proper In Todd Bowles’ Bucs Protection

Bucs HC Todd Bowles – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR

On the subject of creativity and dialing up coverages and blitz packages, few defensive minds draw issues up the way in which Todd Bowles does. Bowles has earned a fame throughout the league for being probably the greatest defensive playcallers, with a lot of that stemming from the distinctive methods his defensive backs cross-train and be taught a number of roles within the secondary. Doing so not solely helps the workforce cowl for gamers getting injured or struggling, but it surely additionally enhances the communication throughout the defensive backfield.

On the subject of how Tykee Smith, a Pewter Report Bucs Finest Guess, will match inside Bowles’ scheme, he already is aware of what to anticipate. Whereas a part of that comes from figuring out Bowles’ son Troy, a junior linebacker at Georgia, Smith additionally trusts that he can are available in and slot in wherever wanted.

“I additionally assume he does an actual good job placing his gamers and utilizing their skillset to one of the best of their potential, which Georgia additionally did an actual good job [in position] at,” Smith stated of Bowles’ play designs and packages. “Once we met he stated they run comparable stuff to what Georgia ran, so it might be plug-and-play.”

Going from the Bulldogs to the Bucs, there’s one trait that Tykee Smith will look to hold over – and that’s being a dawg.

“Soccer IQ, versatility, after which only a dawg mindset – see ball, get ball,” Smith stated.