SMU Edge Isaiah Smith Becomes Panthers Sleeper

The Carolina Panthers may have found one of the more interesting undrafted free agents of the 2026 NFL cycle, and SMU pass rusher Isaiah Smith is walking into OTAs with a real shot to make noise.

Smith wasn’t picked in the 2026 NFL Draft, but his college production makes him hard to ignore.

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The former SMU standout signed with Carolina on a three-year deal worth $3.1 million, giving the Panthers another young edge defender to evaluate as their offseason roster begins to take shape.

And this isn’t some camp-body flier with an empty stat sheet.

Smith played four seasons at SMU, appearing in 53 games and piling up 121 total tackles, 23 sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.

His final season was his loudest. In 2025, the 6-foot-2, 213-pound defender led the ACC with 18 tackles for loss and added 8.5 sacks, showing the kind of backfield disruption NFL teams are always hunting.

That’s what makes his undrafted status so fascinating.

Smith doesn’t have the traditional size profile some teams want on the edge, but production travels.

He consistently found ways to win, bend into the pocket and create problems behind the line of scrimmage.

For the Panthers, this is a low-risk swing with upside. Carolina needs young pass-rush depth, and Smith gives them a player who has already proven he can affect games against quality competition.

OTAs won’t decide everything, but they can absolutely open the door for an undrafted rookie who shows burst, urgency and special teams value.

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Smith’s path won’t be easy. Undrafted players rarely get patience.

But if he keeps flashing the same disruptive style he showed at SMU, Carolina may have landed a legitimate sleeper before training camp even begins.