Keidron Smith Bio
Keidron Ameer Smith (born November 1, 1999) is an American professional football safety for the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL). Standing 6 feet 2 inches tall and competing at roughly 210 pounds, he plays a hybrid defensive back role that blends traditional safety range with the man-coverage instincts he developed earlier in his career. Smith signed with the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 2023 and has since spent time with the Washington Commanders and the Denver Broncos before landing in New York.
Early Life and Background
Keidron Ameer Smith was born on November 1, 1999, in Boca Raton, Florida, and grew up in nearby West Palm Beach. He attended Oxbridge Academy in West Palm Beach, where he was a two-sport standout in football and basketball. As a senior, he helped Oxbridge reach the state championship game and finished his high school career with seven interceptions and five touchdowns on defense.
For his play as a senior, Smith was named The Palm Beach Post’s 2017 defensive player of the year. He was also a productive basketball player at Oxbridge, scoring more than 1,000 career points. Rated a three-star recruit, he committed to play college football for the Ole Miss Rebels in the Southeastern Conference.
Path to the NFL
Smith’s path to professional football began in Oxford, Mississippi, where he spent four seasons with the Ole Miss Rebels from 2018 through 2021. He appeared in all 12 games as a freshman in 2018, recording 47 tackles and four pass breakups, and became a regular starter the following year. Over his Ole Miss career, he totaled 224 tackles, 21 passes defended, five interceptions, and five forced fumbles, and he won the program’s Chucky Mullins Courage Award for leadership, courage, and perseverance.
Following the 2021 season, Smith used an extra year of COVID-19 pandemic eligibility to enter the NCAA transfer portal and finished his college career with the Kentucky Wildcats in 2022. At Kentucky, he played 13 games, started 12, and recorded 46 tackles, five passes defended, and two interceptions, earning second-team All-SEC honors. After the season, he was invited to the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl and was later selected for the 2023 Senior Bowl, which set the stage for his NFL opportunity.
Keidron Smith Career
Early Career (2023)
After going unselected in the 2023 NFL Draft, Smith signed with the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent. He reportedly impressed during the preseason but was released on August 28, 2023, as part of final roster cuts. A week later, on September 6, 2023, he signed with the practice squad of the Washington Commanders, where he remained until October 9, 2023.
Smith found a more stable landing spot when he signed with the Denver Broncos practice squad on December 19, 2023. He was released two days later to make room for Kareem Jackson, then re-signed the next day after Jackson was claimed by the Houston Texans. On January 9, 2024, he signed a reserve/future contract with Denver, securing his place in the Broncos’ offseason plans.
Denver Broncos Era (2024–2025)
Smith made the Denver Broncos’ 53-man roster on August 27, 2024, after a strong preseason. He was waived on November 12, 2024, and quickly signed to the practice squad two days later, staying within the organization. On January 13, 2025, he signed another reserve/future deal with Denver, indicating continued investment in his development.
Smith was waived by the Broncos on August 26, 2025, ahead of final cuts, and was re-signed to the practice squad the following day. Through the 2024 season, his career NFL totals included seven tackles, reflecting a reserve role in which he contributed on special teams and in spot defensive packages.
New York Jets Era (2025–Present)
On December 15, 2025, Smith was signed by the New York Jets off the Denver Broncos’ practice squad, joining the active roster late in the season. The move reunited him with general manager Darren Mougey, who had previously overseen him in Denver. He wears jersey number 22 with the Jets and is listed as a safety on the active roster.
Playing Style and Strengths
Smith’s game is built on versatility. After beginning his college career at cornerback, he moved to safety in 2021, and that hybrid background shows up in his coverage range, tackling, and ball skills. He reads quarterbacks well in zone, breaks on routes with the instincts of a former corner, and has delivered five career interceptions across his college stops, all indicators of strong hands and anticipation.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among the most notable milestones of Keidron Ameer Smith’s career are his second-team All-SEC selection at Kentucky in 2022, his appearance in the 2023 Senior Bowl, and his persistence through four NFL transactions in a single calendar year. He has also earned the Chucky Mullins Courage Award at Ole Miss, an honor that recognizes leadership and resilience as much as on-field production.
Keidron Smith Career Highlights
Keidron Ameer Smith’s career to this point has been defined more by perseverance than by headline statistics. His NFL resume includes seven career tackles as of the 2024 season, accumulated in a reserve role with the Denver Broncos, and he has yet to record an NFL interception or start a regular-season game.
College Highlights
Smith’s most productive college season came at Ole Miss in 2020, when he recorded 64 tackles, six passes defended, and an interception in 10 games. He matched that tackle total with 64 stops in 2021 while adding two interceptions, and he capped his career with 46 tackles, five passes defended, and two interceptions at Kentucky, where his second-team All-SEC honor gave him national recognition.
Other Performances
As a senior at Oxbridge Academy, Smith posted seven interceptions and five touchdowns, and he was named The Palm Beach Post’s 2017 defensive player of the year. He also scored more than 1,000 points as a high school basketball player, underscoring the athleticism that has carried over to his professional career.
Keidron Smith Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Keidron Ameer Smith was raised in West Palm Beach, Florida, after being born in nearby Boca Raton, and he developed into a two-sport athlete at Oxbridge Academy. Public details about his parents, siblings, or extended family have not been widely reported, so this section is limited to what is verifiable from confirmed sources.
Personal Life
Smith is not publicly known to be married, and no information about a spouse, partner, or children has been confirmed in reliable sources. Off the field, he has been described as a high-character presence in locker rooms, a reputation that aligns with the Chucky Mullins Courage Award he received at Ole Miss for leadership and perseverance.
2025 Season Performance
Keidron Ameer Smith’s 2025 season has unfolded in two distinct chapters. He began the year on a reserve/future contract with the Denver Broncos and was waived on August 26 before being re-signed to the practice squad the next day, which kept him within the organization as the regular season opened.
After spending the early part of the season on Denver’s practice squad, Smith signed with the New York Jets on December 15, 2025, giving him an opportunity to contribute down the stretch. The reunion with general manager Darren Mougey suggests a front office that values his familiarity and developmental upside.
Heading into the closing weeks of the 2025 campaign, Smith’s outlook centers on carving out a defined defensive or special teams role with the Jets. With his hybrid safety-corner skill set and continued improvement, he has a reasonable path to expanded responsibilities as New York evaluates its depth chart for the following offseason.