Smith finished the season with an 80.0 PFF grade on punts, the second-highest among all receivers with 10-plus snaps behind only Tylan Wallace (Baltimore) and the highest among all rookie receivers. (Wallace has since signed in free agency with Cleveland.)
“I just ran, and you know what I mean, just did what I did at practice,” said Smith, who the Jets selected in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft out of Georgia.
Of the 58 players that logged 30-plus snaps as a gunner in 2025, Smith logged the fourth-lowest gunner loss percentage (4.5%) defined by PFF as the percentage of plays in which the gunner logs a negative grade.
The Jets special teams unit recorded a 3.18 EPA on all punt plays with Smith on the field, the third-highest mark among all rookie wide receivers.
“You could play half the play on offense or defense, I don’t think anybody does that, but you can do that. But on special teams you have to play the whole play,” Smith said. “If I have two guys on me, I still have to compete the whole play. I have to beat one if I beat the other and by that time the play is still going.”
Release, separate, tackle — that’s a gunner’s mission. It’s a physical demand and it requires sharp instincts. And it’s an opportunity to see the field. Nwangwu is known for his ability as a kick returner, but he’s also an asset as a gunner to special teams coordinator Chris Banjo.