Braden Smith
Houston TexansModel Score
How good he is at what he is supposed to be doing, out of 100. Not a projection of what he will do next, and not a read on his contract. Median is about 70, and a 95 is rare. How it is built →
STM Take
Eight straight years as Indianapolis's starting RT plus a 2023 tier 2 (#14) peak and four other tier 6 finishes (#42, #47, #46, #46) gives him one of the longest stable RT careers in the league. The 2023 tier 2 peak shows a real top-15 ceiling exists. At 30 with the 2024-2025 finishes returning to tier 6, the question is whether year nine holds tier 6 or whether Indianapolis explores a draft upgrade.
Smith came out of Auburn as the Indianapolis Colts' 2nd-round pick (37th overall) in 2018 after winning the 2017 Outland Trophy as the nation's best interior lineman. The Colts moved him from guard to RT as a rookie, where he has started for eight straight seasons. He has been a team captain multiple times and was the anchor of the Colts' 2023 surprise season at tier 2 (#14). His STTM arc shows a long career in the tier 6 band (#42, #47, #46, #46) punctuated by the 2023 tier 2 spike.
Strengths
- 2017 Outland Trophy as nation's best interior lineman plus eight straight years as starting RT gives him one of the most stable career arcs at the position.
- 2023 tier 2 (#14) peak establishes a top-15 RT ceiling that few mid-career starters can claim, with the surrounding tier 6 floor confirming durability.
Concerns
- Two straight years back at tier 6 (#46, #46) after the 2023 tier 2 spike suggests the peak was the surrounding offensive context, not a new baseline.
- Hand and foot injuries during the 2022-2023 stretch raise the durability question at age 30.
What to watch: Whether Smith returns to tier 4 or better with Indianapolis's 2026 offensive structure, or whether the 2024-2025 tier 6 finishes represent the new baseline.
Braden Smith Injury StatusIR
Braden Smith is listed on injured reserve (Foot), reported Sep 2, with a return date of Oct 11. Source: the official NFL injury report, refreshed daily.
Draft & College
He went well ahead of consensus.
Of the 320 players taken as a second-rounder between 2012 and 2021, 63% earned a second contract and 58% became starters. The median one started 44 career games.