ASU WR Jake Smith reportedly denied eligibility for 2023 by NCAA

Arizona State was delivered a major blow when the NCAA announced local wideout Jake Smith was denied eligibility and will not play for the Sun Devils this season. Smith has been attending his third school (Texas and USC) since 2019. He played the 2019-20 seasons at Texas but was declared a medical non-counter at USC due to a foot injury in 2021 and did not play a snap for the Trojans.

The medical non-counter would not allow Smith to play again at USC until he transferred to a new school, according to Sun Devil Source’s Chris Karpman. Karpman notes the NCAA’s ruling appears to be because it is Smith’s third school prior to graduating, something the association has been staunch on, but that the wideout is in a unique position because he had to transfer from USC if he wanted to play again. He has not played football since 2020.

The NCAA reportedly backdated transfer rulings and updated the rules after Smith had transferred to Arizona State, according to Fox Sports’ George Wrighster. Smith had shined throughout the Sun Devils’ fall camp, looking to form one of the strongest position rooms on the team with Elijhah Badger and Xavier Guillory. He attended Scottsdale’s Notre Dame high school where he was named the 2018 National Gatorade Player of the Year and was the 69th-ranked recruit in his class, according to Rivals.

He struggled to find his footing with Texas, appearing in 20 games over the two years and hauled in 48 balls for 568 yards and a respectable nine touchdowns. Additionally, the NCAA made the same ruling for star North Carolina wideout transfer Devontez Walker. .