Brashard Smith: Miami's Breakout Star in 2022?

WR Brashard Smith should expect an increased role with Miami this season.

The way that football is being played today, both at the college and the professional level, positional versatility is important. On offense, wide receivers are being asked to line up at different positions across the formation, sometimes even in the backfield. 

Sophomore receiver Brashard Smith fits this variable role, as the Miami Hurricanes are expected to use the talented wideout in creative ways this season. 

"Brashard's a great player, one of the fastest guys in there, a special playmaker," Van Dyke told reporters on Tuesday.

"He's gonna bring a lot of those explosive plays, not in only the pass game but we have some other stuff made for him like we did last year. He's a special talent in that receiver room, so I'm excited to see him play."

The South Florida native did a majority of his damage last season on two plays, connecting on a 75-yard passing touchdown in Weeks 4 and 12, respectively. Smith finished the year with 14 receptions for 199 yards and the two scores.

Smith also appeared in the run game, as he carried the ball six times for 23 yards over the course of the 2021 season. 

Playing out of the backfield, both as a receiver and running back, is something that Smith does well and that would add an additional wrinkle to offensive coordinator Josh Gattis' offense. A comparison to this would be how NFL superstar and then-Oklahoma State utility player Tyreek Hill was used.

Brashard Smith is such a chess piece in this offense.

I’m curious to see what Josh Gattis has him run out the backfield. A similar gameplan to what Oklahoma State had for Tyreek Hill would serve Smith well.

Just a matchup nightmare. https://t.co/osBd7yFM0N pic.twitter.com/sW3AdndBjC

— Luke Chaney (@lukechaney247) August 30, 2022

The Cowboys had the former collegiate standout run a variety of different route combinations out of the backfield that brought upon mismatches that favored him. 

The most memorable play from Smith's freshman season was on a wheel route from behind the line of scrimmage. Then-offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee sent another receiver on a deep post on the same side of the formation, taking one of the two-high safeties out of the play. This forced a nickel cornerback to catch up to the blazing-fast Smith, which the defender was unable to do. 

Brashard Smith | #TheU® pic.twitter.com/H9xuDs0NUA

— GO ‘CANES! (@83_87_89_91_01) November 21, 2021

As a running back, Smith could take on a chunk of Miami's outside runs in its various zone-based schemes. His speed and elusiveness fit with what is asked of backs on these types of plays. Doing so would also take work off of the backs of Jaylan Knighton and Henry Parrish Jr., who are expected to receive an increase in workload as a result of injuries to the position group.

While Smith is likely playing mostly in the slot this season, there is an abundance of different ways to get him the ball that would allow him to shine.

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