Texas Football: 4 updated transfer linebacker candidates

2. Jonathan Smith, UNC

Inconsistency and injuries plagued what was a promising college career for the North Carolina Tar Heels rising redshirt senior inside linebacker Jonathan Smith during his time in Chapel Hill. Even dating back to his true freshman season with the Tar Heels, Smith suffered a season-ending foot fracture. And his career had a number of tough injuries since.

Smith is a former three-star recruit, coming out of Scotland County High School in Laurinburg, NC. Like the previous two transfer candidates, Smith signed with his current program in their 2016 recruiting class. He held more than 15 schools on his offer sheet. Some of the schools that offered him were the Duke Blue Devils, Appalachian State Mountaineers, Michigan Wolverines, Michigan State Spartans, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Virginia Tech Hokies, and West Virginia Mountaineers.

He ranked as the nation’s No. 573 2016 high school prospect, No. 21 inside linebacker, and No. 23 prospect out of North Carolina. There will be one year of Smith’s eligibility left at his next landing spot, so this should be a good fit with the Longhorns. Hopefully he finds more luck with a clean bill of health at his next landing spot too.

Over the course of a four-year spotty playing career in Chapel Hill, Smith registered 72 total tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, two pass deflections, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery. His one fumble recovery was taken back for a touchdown too.

Although West Virginia was the only Big 12 program to offer Smith out of high school, the Longhorns should be the next to pursue his services now.