Is Mekhai Smith starting?
Mekhai Smith is listed 2nd string at SS for Minnesota Golden Gophers.
Junior · #22 · 6'2", 215 lbs
See full Minnesota Golden Gophers depth chart ›Depth at SS · Minnesota Golden Gophers
- 1469Zack HardenStarter
- 22269Mekhai SmithYou
- 33158Jordan Lampkins
Minnesota Starting Lineup
Top defensive backs in the Big Ten
The Story
Making His Case
This season: 0 tackles, 4 INT, 0 PBU. That's 0% of the team's production at his spot — good for a 69 overall (Depth tier).
- Jersey
- #22
- Class
- JR/TR
- Height
- 6'2"
- Weight
- 215 lbs
- Transfer
- Lehigh
Stats
| Season | Tkl | INT | PD |
|---|---|---|---|
| — | 0 | 4 | 0 |
Regular-season totals from public sources. Derived splits (completion %, yards per carry, catch rate) aren't available in our current dataset.
Recruiting Profile
- High School
- Lower Merion
- Hometown
- Ardmore, PA
Why this rating?
On a 83-rated defense; 63th-percentile production at transfer origin (×0.60 for competition level) put them -4 vs unit starters → 69. Capped to the teammate ahead of them on the depth chart.
2026 projection — based on SP+ (a respected team-efficiency metric; 2026 not published yet, using 2025), 2025 production, recruiting, and the 2026 transfer portal; capped to depth-chart order.
2026 Game Log
Oct 11LPURTKL 6
- TKL
- 6
- SOLO
- 4
- SACK
- 0
- INT
- 0
- PD
- 0
Final L 41-13
Sep 19WAKRTKL 3
- TKL
- 3
- SOLO
- 1
- SACK
- 0
- INT
- 0
- PD
- 0
Final W 41-7
Sep 12LMSSTTKL 7
- TKL
- 7
- SOLO
- 4
- SACK
- 0
- INT
- 0
- PD
- 0
Final L 38-13
Sep 4WEIUTKL 3
- TKL
- 3
- SOLO
- 2
- SACK
- 0
- INT
- 0
- PD
- 0
Final W 59-7
| OPP | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 11 | LPUR | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 19 | WAKR | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 12 | LMSST | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 4 | WEIU | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Mekhai Smith's 2026 game-by-game stat log.
The People's Ratings
Team Role
Overall ratings blend team strength (SP+), on-field production, and recruiting. Higher = more impactful.