Name: Cameron Smith
Position: LB
Class: Freshman
Size: 6-foot-2 and 245 pounds
Age: 18
High School: Granite Bay (Roseville, CA)
Game: Physically, Smith looks the part of a prototypical middle linebacker, but what's really made him stand out to the USC coaching staff this early in his career is his ability to diagnose opposing offenses and his natural instincts on the field. The freshman will wear No. 35, joining a long list of dominant linebackers of the same number reaching back through USC history.
Prep Career: As a senior linebacker at Granite Bay, Smith accumulated 148 tackles, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and four interceptions. His outstanding play earned him 2014 Prep Star All-American Dream Team, Cal-Hi Sports All-State first team and USA Today All-California honors. Smith had 11 interceptions in his career.
Fall Camp: Smith gave himself the upper hand in adjusting to the speed of the college game, graduating early from high school and enrolling at USC last spring. The linebacker's playmaking ability, displayed both in spring practices and Fall Camp, as well as his intellect have placed him in a position to make an immediate impact on the field this fall. Smith is currently slotted behind redshirt senior Lamar Dawson, who is out with a rib injury, which means the freshman could earn his first start on Saturday against Arkansas State.
Coach Sark on Smith: "The guy has been making plays for us [since spring]. He's been performing at a high level. He's got a high football IQ. He's just a heady guy. That position, sometimes you think it's got to be the big tough guy, which he is, but it takes smarts to play that position. We saw it with Hayes [Pullard], and Cam definitely has that real good sense and good feel in there."
Here is Smith on his first day of media availability...
