Labeling Smith a "playmaker" might be putting it mildly when describing his Herculean effort during his senior year. When injuries depleted the Trojans' receiving unit early on, Smith stepped to the forefront as the team's go-to target despite battling through a nagging ankle sprain that had limited his practice sessions throughout the season.

"My mom always says, 'Don't worry about what everybody says. What matters is you and what you're doing,' " Smith said in reference to people who call him underrated. "I know my skills and abilities. That's why I was brought here. I'm excited by what I've done so far."

And scouts who question his speed? "The way I run is deceiving. When people run next to me, I have speed," he said.

Born in Alaska, Smith moved to California as a youngster. At Taft High School, he earned 2002 Parade All-American (and top wide receiver), USA Today All-USA first-team, Super Prep All-American, Prep Star All-American, Student Sports All-America first team, Tom Lemming All-American and The Insiders.com All-America second-team honors. He was a member of the Prep Star Top 100 Dream Team, The Sporting News Hot 100, FOX Sports 50, Tom Lemming Top 100, Super Prep All-Farwest, Prep Star All-West, Tom Lemming All-West, Long Beach Press-Telegram Best in the West first team (unanimous), Tacoma News Tribune Western 100 and Orange County Register Fab 15 first team.

Smith was also named Cal-Hi Sports All-State Wide Receiver MVP, All-L.A. City Defensive MVP, Los Angeles Times all-star first team, Los Angeles Times All-San Fernando Valley first team and Los Angeles Daily News all-area first team as a senior wide receiver and defensive back. In 2002, he caught 86 passes for 1,362 yards (15.8 avg.) and 11 touchdowns on offense and had 48 tackles, five interceptions and 13 pass deflections on defense (he did all this despite missing two games with an ankle sprain). Taft advanced to the L.A. City final for the second consecutive year in 2002.

As a junior in 2001, he was a Student Sports All-West first-team, Cal-Hi Sports All-State Wide Receiver MVP, Cal-Hi Sports All-State Junior MVP, Cal-Hi Sports All-State Underclass first-team, All-L.A. City MVP, Los Angeles Times all-star first team, Los Angeles Times All-San Fernando Valley Back MVP, Los Angeles Daily News all-area MVP and all-league pick. He had 92 receptions for 1,612 yards (17.5 avg.) and 13 touchdowns in 2001, plus 12 interceptions (tops in California) despite missing two games with a shoulder injury.

As a sophomore in 2000, he was named to the Cal-Hi Sports All-State first-team, Cal-Hi Sports All-State Sophomore MVP, Cal-Hi Sports All-State Underclass first-team, All-L.A. City first-team, Los Angeles Times All-San Fernando Valley first team and Los Angeles Daily News all-area Offensive MVP. He caught 93 passes for 1,597 yards (17.2 avg.) and 18 touchdowns. In his three-year varsity career, he caught 271 passes for 4,545 yards (16.8 avg.), both California state records.

Smith also played basketball at Taft, earning 2002 Student Sports Grid-Hoops All-America first-team honors, as well as being a three-time all-state selection. He averaged 25.1 points, 8.9 rebounds and 5.0 assists in 2002 and 26.8 points and 9.3 rebounds in 2001. He also competed in track (with a best of 10.8 in the 100-meters) at Taft. He was selected as the 2002-03 CalHiSports.com boys' California Athlete of the Year.

The Public Policy major enrolled at Southern California in 2003 and immediately became a part of the Trojans' receiving unit rotation. As the first receiver off the bench, he accounted for 319 yards and two touchdowns on 17 receptions (18.8 avg.) and carried the ball once for an 8-yard gain.

In 2004, Smith started seven of eight games he played in, missing five contests after suffering a left leg fracture versus California. He finished with 42 catches for 660 yards (15.7 avg.) and six touchdowns. He also caused a fumble and made one solo tackle. His seven grabs for 113 yards versus Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl earned Smith a spot on the CBSSportsline.com's All-Bowl team.

Smith was one of 15 semifinalists for the Biletnikoff Award in 2005, given to the nation's top receiver. The All-Pac-10 Conference honorable mention started eight of 13 games at flanker. He ranked second on the squad with 60 receptions for 957 yards (15.9 avg.) and five touchdowns, adding 11 yards on a pair of reverses. Smith had thoughts of applying for the 2006 NFL Draft, but decided to return to school in 2006 to improve his draft status.

Despite an almost season-long ankle problem, Smith ranked third in the Pac-10 Conference and 18th in the nation with an average of 83.31 yards per game receiving. He also ranked third in the league and tied for 24th nationally with an average of 5.46 catches per game. He led the team with a career-high 71 receptions for 1,083 yards (15.3 avg.) and nine touchdowns. What makes those totals even more remarkable is that he was working with an inexperienced quarterback (John David Booty) and faced constant double coverage, especially during the absence of fellow receiver Dwayne Jarrett (shoulder) from the lineup for several games.

In 46 games at Southern California, Smith started 27 times. He ranks fifth in school history with 190 receptions, fourth with 3,019 yards (15.9 avg.) and sixth with 22 touchdowns. During their career together, Smith and Jarrett have accounted for 63 of the team's touchdown catches and both caught a touchdown pass in the same game 10 times. Smith also boasts nine 100-yard performances for his career.

Positives: Has good upper-body muscle definition with an adequate bubble, thick calves, tight waist and abdomen … Has good initial quickness and builds to top speed smoothly, using proper hand technique to defeat the jam and prevent from being re-routed … Runs with good balance and displays loose hips to change direction … Is a student of the game, putting in the extra hours after practice and in the film room … Has shown marked improvement in his training habits, adding needed strength and bulk to his frame before his senior year … Tough athlete who will play through pain … Shows a smooth running stride and the plant-and-drive agility to cut quickly … Has the loose hips to deliver good shake-and-bake moves in attempts to elude … Uses an effective veer move to get into his patterns and is alert to find the soft spots in the zone to settle under … Glides in and out of his breaks … Has the vision to recognize coverages and is alert to sideline markers … Does a good job of working back to the ball when the quarterback is pressured … Used mostly on hitches, out patterns and underneath, as he has the body control to adjust to the ball in flight, especially when being used on hitches and curls … Has good knee bend coming out of his breaks to get to his catch point and despite average speed, he can get down the seam smoothly … Has made some improvement in extending his arms to catch away from his frame … Best when used on controlled routes, where he can better use his agility to scoop up the low throws and make the tough grab … Tracks the ball well in flight and is effective at looking the ball in with a defender behind him … Relies more on his leg drive to break tackles and separate rather than an explosive second gear … Better blocker upfield, as he can sink his weight, keep his pads down and attack second-level blockers … Quick off the line and has the hip snap and transition burst to come out of his breaks with no loss in acceleration … Very alert to defensive coverage and is quick to eat up the cushion working versus the zone … Has the ability to stay focused tracking the ball in a crowd, showing no flinch when defenders are zeroing in on his jersey … Has the ease-of-movement agility to catch the ball without breaking stride … Has the head fakes and hip snap to sell the route and separate after the catch.

Negatives: Quick off the line, but does not have that explosive second gear needed to elude in the deep secondary … Showed improvement in 2006, but needs to maintain consistency using his hands to escape the jam (struggled in the past when he failed to get his arms up to push off the defensive back) … Best on sidelines and curls, as he does not have the power to prevent from getting bounced around when trying to compete for the ball in a crowd over the middle … Rounds and gathers on cuts at times … Has made strides in extending for the ball away from his frame, but when he body catches, he will double catch or drop the ball, especially when going over the middle … Shows good veer in his route, but has yet to display that second gear needed to instantly separate from the defender … Good second-level blocker, but does not have the sand in the pants to sustain when asked to block along the line.

Compares To: BOBBY ENGRAM-Seattle … Neither player is known as a speed burner, but if a lethargic defender gives Smith any space to create, he more than likely will come up with the big play. Both play with a blue-collar work ethic, but given more than a few touches, they will move the chains with regularity.

2001: Missed two games as a high school junior with a shoulder strain.

2002: Sat out two games during his high school senior year with a sprained ankle.

2004: Suffered a broken bone in his left leg versus California (10/09), missing the next five games vs. Arizona State, Washington, Washington State, Oregon and Arizona.

2006: Sprained his left ankle versus Nebraska (9/16), limiting his playing time versus Arizona the following week. He then suffered a first-degree left ankle sprain versus Washington State (9/30), re-injured it versus Arizona State (10/14), missing the fourth quarter of that contest. Smith twice tweaked the ankle during the Oregon State clash (10/28).

Campus: 4.54 in the 40-yard dash … 32 1/8-inch arm length … 9½-inch hands.

Combine: 4.44 in the 40-yard dash … 38-inch vertical jump … 10-foot broad jump … 4.19 20-yard dash … Chose not to run the shuttle or lift in the 225-pound bench press.

Attended Taft (Woodland Hills, Cal.) High School … Earned 2002 Parade All-American (and top wide receiver), USA Today All-USA first-team, Super Prep All-American, Prep Star All-American, Student Sports All-America first-team, Tom Lemming All-American and The Insiders.com All-America second-team honors … Member of the Prep Star Top 100 Dream Team, The Sporting News Hot 100, FOX Sports 50, Tom Lemming Top 100, Super Prep All-Farwest, Prep Star All-West, Tom Lemming All-West, Long Beach Press-Telegram Best in the West first team (unanimous), Tacoma News Tribune Western 100 and Orange County Register Fab 15 first team … Also named Cal-Hi Sports All-State Wide Receiver MVP, All-L.A. City Defensive MVP, Los Angeles Times all-star first team, Los Angeles Times All-San Fernando Valley first team and Los Angeles Daily News all-area first team as a senior wide receiver and defensive back … In 2002, he caught 86 passes for 1,362 yards (15.8 avg.) and 11 touchdowns on offense and had 48 tackles, five interceptions and 13 pass deflections on defense (he did all this despite missing two games with an ankle sprain) … Taft advanced to the L.A. City final for the second consecutive year in 2002 … As a junior in 2001, he was a Student Sports All-West first team, Cal-Hi Sports All-State Wide Receiver MVP, Cal-Hi Sports All-State Junior MVP, Cal-Hi Sports All-State Underclass first team, All-L.A. City MVP, Los Angeles Times all-star first team, Los Angeles Times All-San Fernando Valley Back MVP, Los Angeles Daily News all-area MVP and all-league pick … Had 92 receptions for 1,612 yards (17.5 avg.) and 13 touchdowns in 2001, plus 12 interceptions (tops in California) despite missing two games with a shoulder injury … As a sophomore in 2000, he was named to the Cal-Hi Sports All-State first team, Cal-Hi Sports All-State Sophomore MVP, Cal-Hi Sports All-State Underclass first team, All-L.A. City first team, Los Angeles Times All-San Fernando Valley first-team and Los Angeles Daily News all-area Offensive MVP … Grabbed 93 passes for 1,597 yards (17.2 avg.) and 18 touchdowns … In his three-year varsity career, he caught 271 passes for 4,545 yards (16.8 avg.), both California state records … Smith also played basketball at Taft, earning 2002 Student Sports Grid-Hoops All-America first-team honors, as well as being a three-time all-state selection … Averaged 25.1 points, 8.9 rebounds and 5.0 assists in 2002 and 26.8 points and 9.3 rebounds in 2001 … Also competed in track (with a best of 10.8 in the 100 meters) at Taft … Selected as the 2002-03 CalHiSports.com boys' California Athlete of the Year.

Public Policy/Management and Planning major at USC … Born May 6, 1985 in Alaska … Resides in Canoga Park, Calif.