Player Career

DQ Smith Career Story

Career story, signature performances, transfer context, and season arc are grouped for biography-style searches.

Player Story

DQ Smith story

DQ Smith built his college career from 2022 through 2025 as a defensive back from Columbia, SC wearing No. 1, spending time with South Carolina. The clearest part of DQ Smith's career was his defensive production: 223 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, and 5 interceptions across 47 career games in the available record. His largest box-score season came in 2023 with South Carolina. Those numbers show where he fit, how often the ball or action found him, and how his role developed over time.

Defensive careers can be hard to read from one number, but DQ Smith's production has multiple signals. His career also includes 26 return yards, giving the story more than a single-category snapshot. With 47 career games in the available record, his career has enough shape to show both opportunity and production across South Carolina.

The arc is straightforward: DQ Smith moved through the depth chart, found a larger role, and turned that opportunity into production that can be understood through standard football numbers.

Career Arc

Track team changes, role shifts, and season-to-season movement.

  1. 1

    South Carolina

    2022-2025

    Opening stop

Season Value Progression

202220222023202420242025
SeasonTeamPrimaryEfficiencyUsageDelta
2022 PostseasonSouth Carolina1224.95.4
2022 Regular SeasonSouth Carolina1224.95.40
2023 Regular SeasonSouth Carolina529.56.6-7
2024 PostseasonSouth Carolina417.73.3-1
2024 Regular SeasonSouth Carolina417.73.30
2025 Regular SeasonSouth Carolina427.96.50

Signature Performances

Top Games

#1 Featured game

@ Tennessee

Week 5 · L 20-41 · Conference game

Loss with 1 impact plays across the defensive snap sheet.

1

Havoc Plays

86.7 takeover

1 disruption/tackle impact with 86.7 takeover score.

#2

@ Vanderbilt

Week 10 · W 38-27 · Conference game

3

Havoc Plays

83.6 takeover

Win with 3 impact plays across the defensive snap sheet.

3 disruption/tackle impact with 83.6 takeover score.

#3

@ No. 32 LSU

Week 7 · L 10-20 · Conference game

1.5

Havoc Plays

82.8 takeover

Loss with 1.5 impact plays across the defensive snap sheet.

1.5 disruption/tackle impact with 82.8 takeover score.

#4

@ North Carolina

Week 1 · L 17-31

1

Havoc Plays

71.9 takeover

Loss with 1 impact plays across the defensive snap sheet.

1 disruption/tackle impact with 71.9 takeover score.

#5

@ No. 7 Ole Miss

Week 10 · L 14-30 · Conference game · Ranked opponent

1

Havoc Plays

70 takeover

Loss with 1 impact plays across the defensive snap sheet.

1 disruption/tackle impact with 70 takeover score.

Top Seasons

#1 Season by Season Value

2022 Postseason · South Carolina

12 primary output · 24.9 efficiency · 5.4 usage

46.4

#2

2022 Regular Season · South Carolina

46.4

12 primary · 24.9 efficiency · 5.4 usage

#3

2023 Regular Season · South Carolina

35

5 primary · 29.5 efficiency · 6.6 usage

Milestones

9

Impact games

5

Splash games

3

10+ tackle games