Thumbs up or down: Eagles beat writers weigh in on drafting Ainias Smith

Ainias Smith is an outlier because of his size, but his versatility and production in the Southeastern Conference make him an intriguing possibility for the NFL.

He was used primarily as a slot receiver during his college career at Texas A&M and caught 53 passes for 795 yards last season, often looking dangerous even against some of college football’s best defenses. He also spent some time in the backfield and returned kicks, earning all-conference honors as a multipurpose player and return specialist last season, the latter of which will be important for his chances of making an early impact in the NFL.

At 5-foot-9, 190 pounds, Smith will be limited to either playing in the slot or as a gadget player if he earns a role. The fifth-round pick wasn’t much of a downfield threat in college, doing most of his work on underneath routes or screens to utilize his run-after-catch ability. Even though some of his returns showcase his breakaway speed — both of his two punt-return touchdowns were from more than 90 yards out — his lack of length might prevent him from being a true deep threat for the Eagles.

Especially with the NFL’s new kickoff rules making returns more likely, Smith’s elusiveness with the ball in his hands should present value for the Eagles as they gather options at the returner spots. He averaged 14.3 yards on punt returns and 14.7 on kick returns last season and was a legitimate threat in the open field because of his agility and vision to set up blocks.

Overall, finding a difference-making return man in the fifth round of the draft would be a solid use of resources, and Smith has the athleticism to potentially become even more than that if he’s able to make inroads as a receiver.

With the departures of Quez Watkins, Olamide Zaccheaus, and Julio Jones in free agency, the Eagles have had the opportunity to retool their wide receiver group behind A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. They’ve added a variety of pieces heading into camp, including free agent Parris Campbell and draft picks Ainias Smith and Johnny Wilson (Round 6, No. 185 overall out of Florida State). As rookies, Smith and Wilson figure to be a part of the long-term vision for receiver depth.

As a fifth-round pick, Smith brings a versatile skill set to the group that the Eagles didn’t possess last season. Smith is a true slot receiver who took about 70% of his offensive snaps in college inside, according to Pro Football Focus. He is particularly talented with the ball in his hands, capable of racking up yards after the catch.

Last season, Smith ranked eighth among FBS receivers in his draft class in yards after the catch per reception (6.7), according to PFF. He showcased a sense of elusiveness in the open field that caused defenders to miss. In addition to serving as a slot receiver throughout his college career, Smith also has experience as a running back (72 carries for 405 yards and four touchdowns through five seasons).

» READ MORE: Texas A&M WR Ainias Smith is a Swiss Army knife, bringing his dynamic offensive skill set to the Eagles

Plus, Smith was also a return specialist on both punts and kicks. He provides the Eagles with yet another option to return kicks under the new rules. With his plethora of talents, Smith has the potential to make an impact on offense and special teams.

The Eagles drafted two wide receivers on both ends of the size spectrum. The 5-9 Smith was chosen in the fifth round and was followed by the 6-6 Wilson a round later. The former projects as a slot but has skills that could give the Eagles a gadgety type on offense. Smith was dangerous at Texas A&M with the ball in his hands. He played running back in high school and occasionally lined up in the backfield in college. I’m not sure he’ll get many handoffs in the pros, but he could be used on perimeter screens and jet sweeps.

The Eagles wouldn’t have drafted him unless they liked his downfield receiving ability, though. He had dependable hands and caught many passes in traffic for the Aggies. He showed burst and ran a solid 4.47-second 40-yard dash at his pro day. I can’t say I knew much about him before the draft, but after some calls around the league a little, it turns out he has his fans. He’s a small dude, though, with not much of a catch radius, which is probably why he went on the third day. But it’s hard to quibble much with the Eagles’ process here.

Smith also has return skills and was better with punts than kicks. He had some crazy, long runs for Texas A&M. But will he even get the opportunity as a punt returner with the Eagles? They already have one of the best in the NFL in Britain Covey. They also drafted two other guys — Cooper DeJean and Will Shipley — who excelled as returners and have a better chance of seeing the field because of where they were drafted. But I guess having one more tool in the box can only help Smith’s odds of making the 53-man roster.

Smith didn’t practice on the first day of rookie camp last week. The Eagles didn’t offer an explanation, but he was present and taking mental reps. At OTAs, we could get an early indication of whether he can make the jump. The receiver position is one of the few in which spring evaluations — good or bad — can be made with rookies. Stayed tuned.