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2027 Draft Summer Scouting Report: Anthony Smith, edge, Minnesota
2027 Draft Summer Scouting Report: Anthony Smith, edge, Minnesota
Summer is here, sort of, and it is everyone’s favorite time of the year, scouting time. Every year, we do Summer Scouting to preview college football for Bucs fans, but also give them an idea of names to follow and watch in the fall as needs pop up for Tampa Bay.
Are we going to write about quarterbacks? Offensive tackles? Edge rushers? You know it, but why? Because other NFL teams will draft them, just as they will draft every other position. It all matters whether these players end up on the Bucs, the Bears, or the Steelers. We write these so Bucs fans can be the most informed fans.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementSo if you are still with us, enjoy our latest Summer Scouting report as we prepare you for the Fall.
Listed at 6-6 and 285 pounds
Shippensburg, Pennsylvania native
Former four-star recruit according to 247Sports
Ranked as the No. 6 recruit in Pennsylvania and No. 29 defensive lineman in his recruiting class by 247Sports
All-Big Ten First Team selection by coaches in 2025
All-Big Ten Second Team selection by media in 2025
AP Second Team All-Big Ten selection in 2025
All-Big Ten Honorable Mention in 2024
Former basketball standout and track-and-field athlete
Uncle Jamie Thomas played at Maryland and later with the Indianapolis Colts
Notable career stats heading into 2026
31 Tackles for Loss
19.5 Career Sacks
38 Tackles, 17.5 Tackles for Loss and 12.5 Sacks in 2025
Led the Big Ten in sacks during the 2025 season
Notable numbers from PFF heading into 2026
51 Career Defensive Stops
73.0 Career Defensive Grade
69.9 Career Run Defense Grade
71.8 Career Pass Rush Grade
Logged 671 snaps in 2025
Produced a career-high 44 pressures in 2025
Recorded 14 sacks and 24 defensive stops in 2025
Outstanding size at 6-6 and 285 pounds
Productive pass rusher with 19.5 career sacks
Durable defender with extensive playing experience
Consistently generated pressure throughout his career
Proven backfield producer with 31 career tackles for loss
Experienced starter against Big Ten competition
Earned multiple All-Big Ten honors during his career
Anthony Smith enters the 2026 season coming off the most productive year of his collegiate career. The Minnesota defender emerged as one of the Big Ten's top pass rushers in 2025, leading the conference in sacks while earning first-team All-Big Ten recognition from the league's coaches.
The former four-star recruit has steadily increased his impact throughout his career in Minneapolis. After beginning as a rotational player, Smith developed into a full-time contributor who has accumulated 31 tackles for loss and 19.5 sacks entering his senior season. His production took a major leap in 2025, when he recorded 17.5 tackles for loss and 12.5 sacks while helping anchor Minnesota's defensive front.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementSmith's combination of size, experience and proven production will make him a player worth monitoring throughout the 2026 season. With more than 1,400 career defensive snaps and multiple years of disruptive play in the Big Ten, he enters his final collegiate campaign with an opportunity to continue building on an already impressive résumé.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: 2027 Draft Summer Scouting Report on Minnesota's Anthony Smith
Redshirt Senior at Minnesota