Carter Smith is an offensive tackle and 2026 NFL Draft prospect who spent his entire collegiate career at Indiana University. A native of Powell, Ohio, Smith was a four-star recruit from Olentangy Liberty High School, rated as the No. 19 overall prospect in Ohio by 247Sports and committed to the Hoosiers in the 2022 class over offers from Tennessee, Auburn, and Virginia. He redshirted his first season before claiming the starting left tackle position as a redshirt freshman in 2023 and never relinquishing it, making 36 consecutive starts over three seasons. His tenure coincided with Indiana's dramatic rise under head coach Curt Cignetti, as Smith anchored an offensive line that helped the Hoosiers win a Big Ten title and earn a College Football Playoff berth in 2025, accumulating 43 career games while earning recognition as one of the conference's better blindside protectors.
Measuring approximately 6 feet 5 inches and 315 pounds with impressive functional strength and a relentless finishing mentality, Smith is known for playing through the whistle on every down, refusing to release blocks and generating movement in the run game well beyond initial contact. His punch is stifling and his grip strength once engaged is among the best in the class, making him a particular problem for finesse rushers who rely on counter moves to disengage. The primary concerns in his evaluation center on arm length and lateral quickness at the edge, where longer speed rushers can occasionally threaten his outside shoulder before he can reset his base, leading some teams to project a potential move inside to guard where his power would translate even more effectively. He projects as a Day 2 selection with immediate starting ability in a run-first system and a long-term profile as a reliable starter or swing tackle who embodies the physical toughness NFL teams covet on the interior of their offensive lines.
