Former Miami Dolphins second-round pick Cam Smith is attempting to rebound his football career, making his debut with the UFL.
The United Football League is similar in nature to the Canadian Football League, which generally features players who went undrafted or simply saw their early NFL journeys fizzle out in some manner. For former Miami Dolphins second-round pick Cam Smith, that is exactly what took place.
Smith was drafted in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft out of South Carolina, but the highly-touted cornerback could not seem to put things together. Now, he is attempting to rebound his career in the UFL.
As a member of the Gamecocks, Smith impressed through four years, picking up 91 total tackles, 3.5 sacks, six interceptions, and 16 passes defended.
The Dolphins picked up Smith and likely predicted he could be the next viable secondary defender who could replace Xavien Howard. However, that never transpired.
Smith dealt with injury issues and inconsistent play that led to him appearing in 21 games through two seasons, with no starts. In that time, he picked up 18 total tackles.
After being waived by the Dolphins in September 2025, Smith was not picked up by another NFL team throughout the season.
Now, he is set to attempt to rebound his football career in the UFL. The former second-round pick was selected by the Columbus Aviators in their annual draft.
Oddly enough, the head coach for the Aviators is a former Miami Dolphins wide receiver, Tedd Ginn Jr. Now, Ginn will attempt to lead his team to the championship with the help of Smith.
Smith may be able to showcase to the world what he was capable of during his collegiate career, and why Miami drafted him so high with the hopes that he could be a viable starter in the NFL.
The UFL season is 10 weeks long, with the league engagin in playoffs in June. If Smith can make an impact with his play, he may just have some NFL teams come calling for training camp.
There have been multiple UFL players who have returned to the NFL, including defensive tackle Perrion Winfrey. Following a stint with the Cleveland Browns and New York Jets, he was signed by the Birmingham Stallions in 2025.
Winfrey made an impact, being named to the All-UFL Team, leading to the Dallas Cowboys signing him. He would be the only UFL player who would make a 53-man roster in 2025, but he played for the Cowboys for a brief period before injuries led to his being waived.
Smith may just find himself back in the NFL, should his UFL career get off to a great start.