Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 2 | W 44-21vs Old Dominion | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 3 | W 35-26@ Maryland | 4 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 4 tackles |
| Total | 5 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#1
DQ Smith
Senior defensive back on Virginia Tech's 2026 roster.
6′1″ · 219 lb · Columbia, SC
CFB Index 59 · #194 of 544 safetiesLow confidenceTransferred South Carolina → Virginia Tech for 2026
CFB Index
A single number blending on-field production (an EPA-based value lane) with box-score output for this player's position.
0-100, scaled within each position's own cohort — not directly comparable across positions.
Recruiting
3★
ATH recruit
No. 1116 nationally · Signed with South Carolina
Last played in 2026.
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
Senior defensive back on Virginia Tech's 2026 roster.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to South Carolina in 2022.
DQ Smith
Plays like an extra linebacker near the line. Two head coaches in five seasons, at two different programs. The receipt on tape: 4 tackles against Maryland, Week 3, 2026.
5 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
5 programs, one constant: he played.
202213 games
- Signed with South Carolina3-star out of Spring Valley
2026
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2022–2026
2 coaches2022–2025
Virginia Tech
Coaching transition mid-career: Brent Pry → James Franklin. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
Where He Ended Up · Transfer
Transferred to Virginia Tech
2025South Carolina
2026Virginia Tech
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Virginia Tech | 5 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | South Carolina | 64 | 47 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 1 | 1 | -- |
| 2024 | South Carolina | 37 | 20 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3 | 1 | -- |
| 2023 | South Carolina | 73 | 34 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 2 | 1 | -- |
| 2022 | South Carolina | 49 | 38 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 6 | 2 | -- |
| Career | 228 | 141 | 4.5 | 1.5 | 12 | 5 | -- |
Game log
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 3 · 2026
W 35–26
at Maryland
4 tackles · 2 solo tackles
With E. Grunkemeyer — 314 yds · 3 TD · 0 INT · QBR 95.7 · 13 rush yds (4 car) · 1 TD · N. Totten — 43.3 yards per punt · 3 punts · 1 inside the 20
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2022South Carolina8-5HC: Shane Beamer · Balanced
2023South Carolina5-7HC: Shane Beamer · Balanced
2024South Carolina9-4HC: Shane Beamer · Run-heavy
2025South Carolina4-8HC: Shane Beamer · Run-leaning
2026Virginia Tech3-0HC: James Franklin · Balanced, fast tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Medium confidence
Concern: tackles (0th percentile).
Box-score production (6)
Percentiles are versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score production. There are no play-by-play efficiency bars here: CFBD's play-value model credits offensive players only, so no defensive EPA exists to rank.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 2 games: 2.5 TKL/g, 0.0 TFL/g, 0.0 SACK/g, 0.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
James Franklin
Pass share
50.0%
115 pass / 115 run
Plays / game
76.7
3 games
Team sack rate
5.2%
115 dropbacks · PBP
Scheme: Balanced, fast tempo.
Awards
Player standing · 2025
Starter
Tackle volume for the position at a full-time starter's level.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Production · CFB Index Score
59 · #194 of 544 safeties
Three-star recruit. Now #194 at the position.
How he plays
Play style
Lives near the line of scrimmage as a de facto extra linebacker.
CFB Index positional classification
DNA match
Player DNA
Box Safety
Lives near the line of scrimmage as a de facto extra linebacker.
S
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Zion Washington’s 2025 season.
85%match
Matches Zion on
Class year
Tackle volume
TFL rate
Differs from Zion on
Weight (higher)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a senior, his production profile tracks closest to Alphonzo Tuputala's senior season at Washington (2023).
88%match
Matches Alphonzo on
Class year
Interceptions
PD rate
Player DNA
Players who play like DQ Smith
The secondary · Virginia Tech
- #2Jaquez White67 tackles · 2025
- #20Cam Chadwick66 tackles · 2025
- #1DQ Smith64 tackles · 2025
- #11Tyson Flowers48 tackles · 2025
- #9Isaiah Brown-Murray39 tackles · 2025
16 more on the roster · Virginia Tech team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology