Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 3 games
| Wk | Opp | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 27-24@ Florida State | 5 | 107 | 21.4 | 1 | 79 | Season-high 107 yds |
| Wk 2 | W 56-10vs UC Davis | 1 | 44 | 44.0 | 1 | 44 | |
| Wk 3 | L 31-41@ Louisville | 3 | 50 | 16.7 | 0 | 28 | |
| Total | 9 | 201 | 27.4 | 2 | 79 |
#3
Yannick Smith
Yannick Smith chose SMU out of the portal; now both sides find out if they chose right.
6′3″ · 207 lb · Summerville, SC
CFB Index 60 · #132 of 485 WRsHigh confidenceTransferred East Carolina → SMU 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
201
receiving yards · 2026 · through week 3
3 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 5 rec, 107 yds, 1 TD, at Florida State
Statement game9 rec · 146 ydsvs BYU (FBS) · L 13-34
Top 1% catches game since 2021.
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
Junior wide receiver for SMU. 2026: 3 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to East Carolina in 2024.
- Transferred from East Carolina to SMU in 2026.
Yannick Smith
On Trialas of 2026-09-22
Yannick Smith arrives at SMU with a new fit to prove and an old chapter behind him.
201REC YDS9REC2REC TD
SMU fans keep putting his case on trial, week to week.
medium confidence6 sources
Minority viewA vocal minority sees it the other way.
Read the story so far
AI-generated narrative · may contain errors · not journalism · updated 2026-09-22
His career
Nobody recruited him. He earned the honors anyway.
The week the volume broke through — put up 146 yds vs BYU.BYU · L 13-342025
202410 games
- Signed with East Carolina3-star out of Summerville
202510 games
- All-AACthird
20263 games
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Trophy case · Confirmed honors
What the selectors said
🎖
ALL-AAC
All-AAC mention (2025)
Coaching lineage · 2024–2026
1 coach2024–2026
Played his entire career under Rhett Lashlee.
Where He Ended Up · Transfer
Transferred to SMU
2025East Carolina
2026SMU
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | SMU | 9 | 201 | 22.3 | 2 | -- |
| 2025 | East Carolina | 44 | 583 | 13.2 | 5 | -- |
| 2024 | East Carolina | 25 | 434 | 17.4 | 3 | -- |
| Career | 78 | 1,218 | 15.6 | 10 | -- |
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | SMU | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | East Carolina | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 2024 | East Carolina | 2 | 4 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 2 | 4 | -- | -- | -- |
Game log
Game by game
Yannick Smith's 2026 production
Point color shows the opponent's defensive strength that week (red = weaker defense, blue = stronger) — dashed line is this player's own season average.
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 27–24
5 rec · 107 yds · 1 TD
A wire-to-wire battle — won by 3 on the road.
With K. Jennings — 430 yds · 3 TD · 2 INT · QBR 95.6 · 33 rush yds (5 car) · D. Green — 43 rush yds (13 car)
2026 snapshot
Since week 2: +50 receiving yards, +3 catches.
Season context · Team result + system
2024East Carolina8-5HC: Mike Houston · Balanced
2025East Carolina9-4HC: Blake Harrell · Run-leaning, fast tempo
2026SMU2-1HC: Rhett Lashlee · Balanced
Where this profile ranks vs the WR cohort
Box-score percentiles
High confidenceAscending
Elite: long catch (100th percentile). Strength: yards / catch (96th percentile). 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
2026 season · 3 games
Home vs Road
| REC/g | YDS/g | YPR | TD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home1g | 1.0 | 44.0 | 44.0 | 1.0 |
| Road2g | 4.0 | 78.5 | 19.0 | 0.5 |
First half vs Second half
| REC/g | YDS/g | YPR | TD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-73g | 3.0 | 67.0 | 27.4 | 0.7 |
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Rhett Lashlee
Pass share
50.7%
103 pass / 100 run
Plays / game
67.7
3 games
Team sack rate
2.9%
104 dropbacks · PBP
Scheme: Balanced.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
How he plays
Play style
Moves the chains on third down.
CFB Index positional classification
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 Joseph Manjack’s 2023 season.
Matches Joseph on
Weight
Total EPA (college ability)
TD rate
Differs from Joseph on
Class year (lower)
Through 3 college seasons, his career arc tracks closest to Tyrone Howell’s path through UL Monroe.
98%match
All-Sun Belt
#2
Jalen Kelsey
96%
#3
Jermaine Jackson
96%
#4
Dai'Jean Dixon
95%
#5
Lujuan Winningham
95%
Matches Tyrone on
Height
Yards per reception
Weight
As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Coy Eakin's sophomore season at Texas Tech (2024).
77%match
Matches Coy on
Total EPA (college ability)
Yards / reception
Height
Differs from Coy on
Class year (lower)
Player DNA
Players who play like Yannick Smith
Heisman trajectory
Heisman Trajectory · 2026
Peak #200
Peaked at #200 this season.
The receiver room · SMU
- #8Yamir Knight637 receiving yards · 2025
- #3Yannick Smith583 receiving yards · 2025
- #10Jalen Cooper321 receiving yards · 2025
- Derrick McFall160 receiving yards · 2025
- #11Carterrious Brown25 receiving yards · 2025
9 more on the roster · SMU team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology