RB Jahmir Smith Shines Under the Bright Lights

It’s not often a top prospect gets in and out of an unofficial visit without someone finding out. 2018 Lee County (N.C.) running back Jahmir Smith did just that last week as he visited Notre Dame, committed, and left South Bend without anyone other than the coaching staff aware.

Lee County defensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator Foster Cates joined the 5-foot-11, 198-pounder on his visit and explained why Smith wanted to be low-key about his visit.

“He had the visit planned and wanted to keep it under wraps, so no one was interviewing him,” Cates told Irish Sports Daily. “He needed to visit before he committed and Jahmir just didn’t want a bunch of publicity of the visit so he could just be himself on the trip.”

The three-star prospect has been quiet with the media throughout his process, so it wasn’t a total shock to learn Smith made it to South Bend after the fact.

Smith is focused individual and was the last person to boast about holding 39 offers.

“There were times he would communicate with coaches, but there were other times he’d let them know he was studying,” said Cates. “He didn’t want any distractions from his academics, which I am sure can affect a lot of kids.

“When he is in the weight room, he doesn’t want to be bothered. He is focused on his teammates and his weights. In the classroom, he is focused on his classmates and getting smarter."

The balance of academics and football was an important factor for the North Carolina native, and it’s not just lip service as Smith holds a 4.43 GPA. Smith got feedback straight from current members of the Notre Dame football team as he got a chance to meet with quarterback Brandon Wimbush, running backs Tony Jones Jr., and Dexter Williams.

“He got the opportunity to talk to some of the players up there, and he hit it off with them,” explained Cates. “They have the kind of goals and care about the same aspects of life. They are coming to Notre Dame to win a National Championship and to leave with an Ivy League degree. There aren’t many places you can go in the country and get that opportunity.”

“The chance to hear it from those guys, I think it put it in perspective for him and showed him they take academics as seriously as football. They aren’t picking one, but it’s about picking both.”

The players might have confirmed Smith’s interest in Notre Dame, but it was head coach Brian Kelly that probably sealed the deal.

“Coach Kelly brought a lot of energy when he was talking with him,” stated Cates. “He talked and sold Notre Dame. Coach Kelly wanted to know about Jahmir and what kind of goals he had. He explained Jahmir could achieve those goals at Notre Dame.

“It wasn’t all about Coach Kelly. It was about Notre Dame and the plan in place that can help Jahmir reach his goals.”

Running backs coach Autry Denson wasn’t available to meet with Smith last week, but the two have built an incredibly close relationship over the past few months. Smith is well-aware of Denson’s background, but he never heard about it from Denson.  

“Jahmir see’s that Coach Denson has been there and done it,” Cates said. “The other part of it is Coach Denson never talked about his time at Notre Dame. I brought it up in conversation one time on the phone, and we laughed, but then he backed off of it. He made it clear he wasn’t there to talk about himself, but he wanted to make Jahmir a better person and football player when he left Notre Dame.”

When it comes to life on the football field, Cates has seen the big-time talent, but Smith holds a wild card that separates him from his peers.  

“He’s going to produce,” Cates explained. “The cool thing that gets overlooked so many times when you’re scouting a guy is seeing what kid does when the lights get bright. What are they going to do against the best competition? Every kid that is a Division-I player can pad stats against teams that aren’t so great.

“The brighter the lights and the bigger the stage, the better Jahmir played. Not saying he played bad against lesser competition, but it wasn’t like he ran for 300 yards against those teams. He might have averaged 100 yards a game against three not so great teams. “

As a junior, Smith ran for 2,130 yards and 41 touchdowns, but he was a workhorse when Lee County needed him the most.

“We played the same team in the conference championship and the second round of the playoffs,” recalled Cates. “In those two games combined, he ran for 585 yards and eight touchdowns. In the third round playoff game we lost, Jahmir had five touchdowns.

“As a coach, you go into big games hoping the team shows up and hoping for a big game from someone. When the lights get bright, Jahmir shows up.”

The ability to show up in big games is a coaches dream, but Smith’s demeanor could also give him an advantage under the bright lights at Notre Dame.

“He’s not a rah-rah guy,” said Cates. “He doesn’t get over the top emotionally and is a very level-headed kid. Nothing is as good as it seems or as bad as it seems for him. Having that demeanor at running back helps you out as a team.

“He never once came to the sideline asking for the ball. He is willing to do anything to win. If we wanted to throw it 60 times, Jahmir would go out and run routes or block. It’s pretty cool to watch.

"“He has his drive and his purpose.”