West Virginia Defensive Back Tykee Smith Enters Transfer Portal

One of the best defensive backs in the nation is on the market, and he has a connection to Georgia football's new defensive backs coach.

Kyle Funderburk | Mar 25, 2021

All-America safety Tykee Smith entered the transfer portal Wednesday night and that is big news for Georgia football.

Smith, a starter in 17 games at Morgantown, entered the portal via a Twitter post Wednesday night.

His departure is a huge loss for the Mountaineers as Smith earned spots on several All-America teams in 2020. He was also a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award. Pro Football Focus ranked him No. 24 on their list of 100 best players of 2020.

West Virginia's loss could be Georgia's gain this offseason. The Bulldogs have already poached West Virginia once since the season ended when they hired WVU cornerbacks coach Jahmile Addae on Jan. 27. Smith's close connection with Addae might play a role in his transfer decision.

Smith wasn't a highly-touted player coming out of high school, but he developed quickly under Addae's tutelage. In two seasons at West Virginia, Smith made 111 tackles with 10.5 resulting in a loss. He added four interceptions and 13 pass breakups to his totals. Smith was instrumental in West Virginia leading the nation in passing yards allowed.

It's no secret that Georgia lacks experience in the defensive backfield. Six prominent defensive backs from 2020 departed the program in the offseason and none of those competing for playing time this spring have started more than 10 games. Most have rarely played outside of special teams.

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Published Mar 25, 2021

KYLE FUNDERBURK

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