Receiver, New Mexico, 2025–⁠26

Zhaiel Smith

Number
No. 6
Height
5′11″
Weight
188 lb
Class (2026)
Sophomore
Hometown
Portland, OR

Zhaiel Smith plays receiver for New Mexico. Last time out, at New Mexico State: 3 catches, 50 yards.

2026 so far

4 catches, 57 yards

Last game: 3 catches, 50 yards at New Mexico State, W 42–⁠18

Next game: vs. North Dakota State, Oct 24

Game by game this season, receiving yards
  1. 7CMU
  2. 50@NMSU

Filled bars: wins; outlined: losses.

Receiving

Receiving yards, season by season, with his team’s record

* The season in progress, so far.

SeasonTeamRecYdsAvgTDLong
2025New Mexico911212.4043
2026New Mexico45714.3038
Career1316913.0043

Season lines from CollegeFootballData, regular season and bowls.

On the roster

SeasonTeamNo.PosClassHtWt
2025New Mexico6WRFr.
2026New Mexico6WRSo.5′11″188

As each season’s roster listed the player (CollegeFootballData). Classes before the latest listing are counted back from it; “Yr 1” is the year on file where that count can’t place a season he played (a redshirt, transfer or 2020 year); height and weight as last listed.

Per play

SeasonTeamPlaysEPA/playPctileMedianTotalUsage
2025New Mexico200.11––2.33%
2026New Mexico50.97––4.9–

Expected points added: how much the player’s plays moved the team’s expected score, per play and in total. Plays: total EPA divided by EPA per play, the plays the source credits to him (for a receiver roughly his catches and runs, not every target; for a passer, not every attempt), so it can differ from attempts plus carries. Percentile: against the position’s regulars that season across all divisions on file (quarterbacks with 150+ plays, backs 60+, receivers and tight ends 30+), with how many there were (n) and their median; a dash means too few plays to rank. A season in progress uses the full-season bar scaled by games played, never below 75 plays for quarterbacks, 30 for backs and 20 for receivers. The cohort grows or shrinks with the source’s coverage each season (2025 lists far more players), so compare percentiles rather than raw EPA across years. FCS seasons are marked. Usage: the share of the team’s plays the player was part of (shown from 20 plays). From CollegeFootballData, 2013 on.

Game by game

2026 New Mexico 2 games, 4 catches, 57 yards
DateOpponentResultRecYdsTDLongRush
Sep 5vs.Central MichiganW 38–⁠71707–
Sep 26atNew Mexico StateW 42–⁠18350038–
2025 New Mexico 8 games, 9 catches, 112 yards
DateOpponentResultRecYdsTDLongRush
Aug 30atMichiganL 17–⁠341909–
Sep 6vs.Idaho StateW 32–⁠22217011−2
Sep 12atUCLAW 35–⁠10115015–
Sep 27vs.New Mexico StateW 38–⁠201000–
Oct 3atSan José StateL 28–⁠35110010–
Oct 25vs.Utah StateW 33–⁠141606–
Nov 15vs.Colorado StateW 20–⁠17143043–
Nov 28vs.San Diego StateW 23–⁠17112012–

Box scores from CollegeFootballData, 2004 on. ✦ postseason; ★ a career high on file.

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