Patrick Smith-Young Brings Versatile, High-Volume Safety Production to Duke
Patrick Smith-Young enters the 2026 season as a seasoned Duke transfer with 194 career tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 1.0 sack, one interception, two forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, and five pass breakups across 39 games and 25 starts[1][4]. In the 2025 season at North Texas, he led the secondary with 71 tackles, and his track record shows a downhill, reliable run defender who consistently shows up around the ball[9]. What makes him interesting for Duke is the combination of experience, toughness, and steady production; he is not flashy, but he is the kind of safety coaches trust to clean up mistakes, set the tone, and make the backend harder to beat[1][4].
