Genesis Smith NFL Draft 2026 Scouting Report for Los Angeles Chargers S

The Los Angeles Chargers selected Arizona S Genesis Smith with the No. 131 overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft.

Genesis Smith has the makings of an NFL centerfielder with his natural athletic gifts, size, length, and ability to cover ground. He does a great job of letting the quarterback take him to the football and can handle a multitude of tight end archetypes in man coverage.

The former 3-star recruit is entering the draft after his true junior season as a team captain. Over the last two seasons, he's piled up 140 tackles, 74 solo, four interceptions, 14 passes defensed, three fumble recoveries, and four forced fumbles. He made a name for himself, impacting the defense at every level for the Wildcats.

Dan has covered the Kansas City Chiefs and the NFL Draft since 2019 while contributing for RGR Football. Most recently, he spent the 2025 draft cycle at The Draft Network and is entering his first season in our scouting department.

Highlights

Genesis Smith highlights

00:52

Scroll down for the full scouting report.

Where He Wins

Patrick Mulligan/Getty Images

— Smith is tall, long, and rangy from the safety position. His athletic gifts allow him to cover ground quickly both downhill and down the field from the post.

— His man coverage technique and footwork are sound and give him nickel ability against bigger receivers and tight ends. He's sticky and reads receiver movements well.

— He triggers downhill in the run and screen game while mirroring tight end motions and pulls. He's comfortable playing at or near the line of scrimmage and has the tools to battle blocks.

— The 6'2", 202-pound safety locates the ball in the air quickly and tracks it well. With his length and timing, he does a good job of impacting the catch point and knocking the ball away.

Areas of Improvement

Dylan Buell/Getty Images

— Smith takes aggressive and poor angles to the line of scrimmage from the post position and gives running backs easier access to the field.

— Tackling technique is inconsistent, and he doesn't drive through ball carriers enough, allowing them to break tackles. Using his length to wrap up better and driving his legs will clean up missed tackles.

— He's still growing as an instinctual player in zone coverage; he relies too heavily on the quarterback's eyes to take him to the play.

Grade, Rank and Pro Comparison

Patrick Mulligan/Getty Images

GRADE: 7.3 (High-Level Backup/Starter Upside — 3rd Round)

COMPARABLE GRADE: S Malachi Moore, Alabama (7.3 in 2025), CB Max Melton, Rutgers (7.2 in 2024), S Jartavius Martin, Illinois (7.2 in 2023)

OVERALL RANK: 82

POSITION RANK: S9

PRO COMPARISON: Shades of Jaquan Brisker

Measurables and Testing Data

Dylan Buell/Getty Images

Height: 6'2 ⅛"
Weight: 202
Hand Size: 8 ⅞"
Arm Length: 32 ½"
Wingspan: 79 ¼"

40-yard dash: N/A
10-yard split: N/A
Vertical: 42.5"
Broad: 10'8"
3 cone: N/A
Shuttle: 4.18
Bench: N/A