TJ Smith brings ball-hawking pedigree and special-teams juice to Tulane
In the 2025 season, Tulane safety TJ Smith posted 24 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and a sack while also adding 6 kick returns for 160 yards, including a long of 62, plus a blocked kick—rare two-way value for a defender. He was named to the American All-Conference Third Team and enters 2026 as a First Team preseason All-Conference pick, which tells you coaches and voters see him as a high-impact playmaker. His earlier 2024 résumé included 5 interceptions and 10 pass breakups, so the calling card is clear: instinctive, disruptive, and versatile.
