Tyrin Smith, a former All-Conference USA Honorable Mention wide receiver, will enter the NCAA transfer portal.
Smith, who previously played for UTEP, will don a different uniform in the 2024 season if he gets his wishes.
The news of Smith’s reported transfer from UTEP came from 247Sports’ Chris Hummer.
“UTEP WR Tyrin Smith has entered the @247SportsPortal as a grad transfer,” Hummer reported along with Matt Zenitz.
UTEP WR Tyrin Smith has entered the @247SportsPortal as a grad transfer, @mzenitz and I have learned.
Smith caught 71 passes for 1,039 yards and 7 TDs in 2022. He only played in 4 games this year due to injury.https://t.co/r4tWWlqycN pic.twitter.com/6uFoC8BD4J
— Chris Hummer (@chris_hummer) November 30, 2023
Smith spent the past three seasons at UTEP after beginning his freshman year of collegiate football at Cisco College. He made an immediate impact in the UTEP receiving corps following his transfer ahead of the 2021 season. Smith hauled in 33 receptions for 570 yards with four touchdowns, in addition to ranking 39th nationally in yards per catch (17.3 avg.).
Smith put together his best performance a season later, in which he earned a Conference USA Honorable Mention. Starting all 12 games for the Miners, he led the team in receptions (71), receiving yards (1,039) and receiving touchdowns (7). He is only the eighth receiver in the history of the program to record 1,000 or more receiving yards in a single season and was one of three C-USA WRs to gain 1,000+ receiving yards during the ’22 campaign
Smith ranked second in receiving yards per game (86.6), third in receiving yards (1,039) and fourth in receptions (71) in C-USA. Additionally, he ranked 25th nationally in receiving yards and 22nd in yards per game.
Smith’s final season at the El-Paso-based institution was marred by injuries. After originally transferring to Texas A&M, the 5-foot-7 Smith returned to UTEP for one final go-round, though he played in just four contests, recording 19 receptions for 191 yards and a touchdown.
Suitors likely won’t be too hard to find for Smith, whose untapped potential is sure to attract. Despite his experience, he holds the promise of growth, making him an enticing prospect for teams seeking a player to level up from Group of 5 play. With the right fit, he could blossom into a true impact play for a Playoff or conference contender.
The transfer portal has been seriously active on Thursday and it figures to heat up even more as time goes on.
About Sam Neumann
Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.