Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 59-7vs Eastern Illinois | 3 | 26 | 8.7 | 0 | 15 | |
| Wk 2 | L 13-38vs Mississippi State | 5 | 51 | 10.2 | 0 | 20 | Season-high 51 yds |
| Total | 8 | 77 | 9.4 | 0 | 20 |
#8
Jalen Smith
Junior wide receiver for Minnesota. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′1″ · 210 lb · Mankato, MN · Mankato West
CFB Index 44 · #266 of 485 WRsHigh confidenceReturning to Minnesota 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.
The numbers
77
receiving yards · 2026
8 catches · 9.6 per catch
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 5 rec, 51 yds, vs Mississippi State
Swing playSwung Minnesota from 37% to 64% to win.Rutgers at Minnesota · 31-28
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
3 wide receiver for Minnesota. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Minnesota in 2024.
Jalen Smith
Moves the chains on third down. This is his second year in the same receiving corps at Minnesota. One game to point at: 51 rec yds, 5 receptions against Mississippi State — Week 2, 2026.
77 REC YDS · 8 REC · 0 REC TD
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- seasons on the roster
- game log
His career
The week the volume broke through — put up 103 yds vs Rutgers.Rutgers · W 31-282025
2024
- Signed with Minnesota3-star out of Mankato West
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
Minnesota
NFL
NFL Draft
—
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2 seasons under P.J. Fleck — 9-6 over that span.
2025Minnesota8-5HC: P.J. Fleck · Balanced, slow tempo
2026Minnesota1-1HC: P.J. Fleck · Pass-leaning
Where this profile ranks vs the WR cohort
Box-score percentiles
High confidence
Concern: receptions (0th percentile).
Box-score rates (5)
Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 2 games: 4.0 REC/g, 38.5 YDS/g, 9.4 YPR, 0.0 TD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
P.J. Fleck
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-Big Ten
Based on 2025: #40 of 61 Big Ten WRs
How the All-Big Ten estimate is computed
15% estimated, 95% confidence interval 13–17%. Base rate measured from players who finished at a comparable rank in their conference and came back the next season. It is an estimate from a small sample, not a forecast of this player.
Career stats
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 59–7
3 rec · 26 yds
Dominant 52-point win at home against Eastern Illinois.
With J. Tracy — 5 rec · 98 yds · D. Lindsey — 264 yds · 1 TD · 0 INT · QBR 86.2 · 6 rush yds (2 car)
Signature plays
Signature plays · top plays by |EPA|
The plays that mattered most
- Week 2 · Mississippi State · 1&20 · Q2 · EPA +1.92(11:19) #5 D.Lindsey pass complete short middle to #8 J.Smith caught at MINN33, for 20 yards to the MINN35 (#21 D.Riley), 1ST DOWN
- Week 1 · Eastern Illinois · 1&10 · Q3 · EPA +1.29(11:54) No Huddle #5 D.Lindsey pass complete short right to #8 J.Smith caught at MINN38, for 15 yards to the MINN39 (#8 N.Vecchiarelli), 1ST DOWN
- Week 2 · Mississippi State · 1&10 · Q2 · EPA +0.60(04:31) Shotgun #5 D.Lindsey pass complete short right to #8 J.Smith caught at MINN32, for 7 yards to the MINN32, out of bounds at MINN32
- Week 1 · Eastern Illinois · 1&10 · Q2 · EPA +0.45(01:02) No Huddle-Shotgun #5 D.Lindsey pass complete short right to #8 J.Smith caught at EIU40, for 7 yards to the EIU33 (#15 B.Worsley)
- Week 2 · Mississippi State · 3&13 · Q3 · EPA +0.34(03:11) Shotgun #5 D.Lindsey pass complete short right to #8 J.Smith caught at MSST10, for 9 yards to the MSST04 (#21 D.Riley)
- Week 2 · Mississippi State · 2&17 · Q2 · EPA +0.25(00:33) Shotgun #5 D.Lindsey pass complete short left to #8 J.Smith caught at MSST11, for 8 yards to the MSST09 (#15 M.Williams)
- Week 2 · Mississippi State · 3&10 · Q4 · EPA +0.15(12:19) Shotgun #5 D.Lindsey pass complete short right to #8 J.Smith caught at MINN23, for 7 yards to the MINN32 (#10 J.Smith)
- Week 1 · Eastern Illinois · 1&10 · Q1 · EPA -0.02(07:16) #5 D.Lindsey pass complete short right to #8 J.Smith caught at EIU08, for 4 yards to the EIU08 (#6 J.Addo-Boateng; #16 M.Valenzuela)
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Reliable target who converts on critical downs. Not flashy; consistently productive.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Minnesota
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Wide receiver · Minnesota
Returning around him
- 65% of 2024 offensive production back (Solid continuity)
- 1 Minnesota player drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -1 net (19 in / 20 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Minnesota · Last season: 8-5 · Talent rank #41 · 2026 recruiting class #28
DNA match
Player DNA
Possession Receiver
Reliable target who converts on critical downs. Not flashy; consistently productive.
WR
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Brett Eskildsen’s 2025 season.
Matches Brett on
Total EPA (college ability)
Yards / reception
Weight
Differs from Brett on
Class year (lower)
Through 2 college seasons, his career arc tracks closest to Brennan Eagles’s path through Texas.
Matches Brennan on
Yards per reception
As a freshman, his production profile tracks closest to Donovan Olugbode's freshman season at Missouri (2025).
72%match
Matches Donovan on
Yards / reception
Total EPA (college ability)
Height
Differs from Donovan on
TD rate (higher)
Player DNA
Players who play like Jalen Smith
Background
PRONUNCIATION Your browser does not support HTML5 audio. HONORS: Academic All-Big Ten (2025) 2025 • FRESHMAN SEASON: Played in all 13 games • made 28 catches for 419 yards and four touchdowns. Game-by-Game: Caught two passes for 76 yards against Buffalo, which included a 60-yard touchdown from Dr...
The receiver room · Minnesota
- #11Javon Tracy454 receiving yards · 2025
- #8Jalen Smith419 receiving yards · 2025
- #13Noah Jennings323 receiving yards · 2025
- #25Zion Steptoe272 receiving yards · 2025
- #3Perry Thompson154 receiving yards · 2025
7 more on the roster · Minnesota team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology