Smith attended Imhotep Institute Charter High School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

[1] A three-star recruit, Smith committed to play college football at West Virginia University.

[13][14] Against Missouri the following season, he made key plays late in the game to help secure a 26–22 victory.

[16] During the 2023 season opener against UT Martin, Smith tallied six tackles before exiting the game with a knee injury.

[19] He finished the season with 70 total tackles, four interceptions, and two sacks before declaring for the 2024 NFL Draft.