A football player, a killing and the elusive search for justice
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David Hale, ESPN Staff Writer
Warning: This story contains graphic descriptions of violence.
THE DOOR SWUNG open before he could knock, just as it had the first time Isimemen “Isi” Etute visited Apartment 207. That time, Etute had come for sex. Now, he wanted answers.
It was May 31, 2021, just after 10 p.m., and the apartment above Hokie Mart on North Main Street in Blacksburg, Virginia, was dark, save for a hint of light sneaking through a kitchen window. Etute, with his phone’s flashlight on and stuffed in his pocket, walked inside, leaving two of his Virginia Tech football teammates in the hallway.
Above, on a half-flight of stairs, Etute could just barely make out the slight shape of Angie Renee, whom he had met on Tinder in early April. He was an 18-year-old freshman linebacker. According to her profile, she was a 28-year-old physician at a family health clinic. Before their first meeting, she had told Etute that, because of her job, discretion was paramount so she kept the apartment dark. Etute didn’t question the explanation, and even if he had tried to flick on the overhead light, it wouldn’t have mattered. The bulb was unscrewed.
From the staircase, Angie motioned for Etute to follow, leading him to the bedroom, where she asked him to sit on the left side of the bed, just as he had during their first encounter. That time, she had performed oral sex in a pitch-black room, and afterward, Etute’s teammates taunted and teased him, suggesting she might not have been who she claimed. Now, Etute told her to bend over the side of the bed so they could have sex. He wanted to “feel around and see if it felt like a normal woman.” She did as he asked, pulling her tights down, then grabbing Etute’s hand and moving it between her legs. It didn’t feel right.
With his left hand, Etute pulled the phone from his pocket and ripped the hood from Angie’s head. The light revealed what appeared to be a man with short dark hair and stubble.
Etute stepped back from the bed, dazed.
“Why didn’t you tell me you was a [man]?” Etute asked.
Angie spun around on the bed, looked up and smiled.
“I’m not,” Angie said in a soft voice, reaching for Etute’s pants.
Etute slapped Angie’s hand away and delivered a punch to the jaw, knocking Angie to the floor.
Etute punched again, then again and again. As Angie lay prone on the floor, Etute kicked Angie twice and ran for the door, leaving a trail of bloody footprints behind.
THE DOOR TO Apartment 207 was still open when John Smith and his son arrived on the night of June 1, 2021.
John had called his brother, Jerry, that morning and gotten no answer. That was strange, because Jerry typically picked up on the first ring. John tried back a few hours later. Still nothing.
Concerned, John made the short drive from Newport, Virginia, to Jerry’s apartment on Main Street in Blacksburg.
John walked inside and called for his brother while his son waited near the door. A bathroom light was on downstairs, but upstairs, it was dark, save the light from the alleyway that shone through the kitchen window. John climbed the half-flight of stairs, then turned left to face the bedroom. There, on the floor, was 40-year-old Jerry Smith, covered in blood, his broken glasses next to him. He was wearing a dark sweatshirt emblazoned with the words “Blacksburg Rescue Squad” and a pair of tights pulled down to his thighs.
John nudged his brother’s shoulder with his foot. The body was stiff. He pulled his phone from his pocket and dialed 911.
Jerry Smith had maintained numerous accounts on Tinder, Twitter, Facebook and other social media sites, posing as a 28-year-old woman named Angie Renee to lure straight men to his apartment, an investigation later showed. The photos he used were stolen from a former Virginia Tech student he had never met.
In reality, Smith was tall and thin, a middle-aged white man who had lived as openly gay for most of his adult life. During the previous two decades he had been charged with crimes ranging from fraud to sexual battery, and in the aftermath of Etute’s arrest, a litany of witnesses came forward accusing Smith of harassment, fraud and assault.
Etute, 18, was an early enrollee at Virginia Tech whose high school classmates had just celebrated their prom. He was 6-foot-3 and more than 220 pounds at the time, quiet, close with a handful of teammates but still new to a place where he had dreamed of football glory.
Months earlier, Jerry had complained to the building manager when security cameras were installed in the hallway, suggesting it was an invasion of privacy. Now, footage from those cameras showed three men outside Smith’s apartment on the night of May 31. They were identified as Virginia Tech football players Isi Etute, Jordan Brunson and Jalen Hampton. Only Etute went inside, staying less than three minutes. Eight bloody footprints traced his path back down the hallway to the exit.
Police arrested Etute two days later and charged him with second-degree murder, which carried a possible prison sentence of up to 40 years.
The particulars of the case were never in question. Prosecutors admitted Smith had used a fraudulent account to lure Etute to his apartment. Etute admitted inflicting the injuries that led to Smith’s death. But as the details of their relationship became public, the notion of justice became more complicated. There was the unsympathetic victim, the defendant portrayed as a naive teenager duped into a sexual liaison, and a knife hidden beneath Smith’s mattress — a weapon Etute didn’t know existed, but one that offered an opening to a self-defense claim at trial.
ESPN spoke with more than two dozen people — including Etute, his family, and Smith’s friends and neighbors — interviewed catfishing and cybercrime experts, reviewed security footage, and examined hundreds of pages of correspondence, police reports and trial transcripts to understand how two divergent lives intersected with such violence, and after the jury’s verdict, whether anyone felt justice had been served.
As the jury deliberated, John Smith stood on a veranda on the third floor of the courthouse. He shook his head, staring across the hallway at Etute and his crowd of supporters, and he wondered aloud whether his brother’s dreams would be the only ones that disappeared that night.
“Do you think,” John Smith asked, “he’ll get to play football again?”
JERRY PAUL SMITH was born May 18, 1981, and grew up in Giles County, Virginia, just a few miles from the Virginia Tech campus. Smith’s father, also named Jerry, worked at a local textile plant, and was killed in an industrial accident there when Jerry was 9. Jerry’s relationship with his mother, Sandy, was strained, and he had little in common with his older brother, John, according to Vicki Tickle, who moved next door to the Smith family in 1987.
Jerry had seizures when he was young, and the medication he took to treat them made his hands shake. He was self-conscious, shy and timid, Tickle said.
“Growing up,” she said, “he really had a hard life.”
Chelsea Keating, who was Smith’s classmate at Giles County High School, remembers him as an outsider, tall and lanky with a big heart and a twisted sense of humor.
“He was just a skinny kid with these big ears,” Keating said.
Tickle remembers Sandy Smith calling one afternoon when Jerry was in high school. She asked her to come by the house for a visit. When Tickle arrived, Sandy was sitting at the kitchen table. It was clear she’d been crying. Sandy made coffee, and her hands shook as she sipped from the mug. Finally she blurted out the reason for the visit: Jerry had told her he was gay.
“She didn’t take it well,” Tickle said.
Sandy told Tickle she loved her son, but she was concerned.
“I’m scared,” Tickle recounted Sandy saying, “that somebody’s going to hurt him.”
Giles County is a rural mountain community nestled in the Appalachian Highlands. It is a deeply conservative place, said Justin Callahan, who attended high school with Smith. It was, Callahan said, a miserable place for a teenager struggling to understand their identity.
“I was bullied relentlessly throughout elementary school and high school because people, I guess, perceived I was gay,” Callahan said. “I consider it nothing short of a miracle that I made it out of that alive.”
Finley Hartley moved to Giles County when she was a high school sophomore, and she immediately knew she didn’t belong. In Smith, she found a kindred spirit. She wore vintage men’s pants she had purchased at thrift stores. He spoke with a lilting, feminine, Southern twang, she said.
“What I remember is our shared goofiness, and, perhaps, a touch of shared nonconformity,” she said. “He wasn’t pretending to be macho, and I wasn’t pretending to be feminine.”
Smith took Hartley to his senior prom. It was nothing romantic, she said — “I truly didn’t yet know what queer was” — but for Hartley, it felt magical. She wore a dress. He wore a nice suit. For one night, she said, they belonged.
A few weeks later, Smith graduated. The last time Hartley saw him was a year or so later. Smith was visiting their high school, and she remembered rushing to the hallway to hug him.
“I credit [Smith] as a kind soul who befriended an outcast,” she said.
His former classmate Keating said he could be funny and outgoing, but Smith also had a reputation as a fabulist, frequently exaggerating his own accomplishments.
Keating heard about Smith telling classmates he had been accepted at Duke University. In reality, he enrolled at New River Community College in Dublin, Virginia, in the fall of 2001. He studied forensic science but didn’t receive a degree.
Keating hadn’t seen her old classmate in years when, in the spring of 2021, she read a news story about a man who was killed by a Virginia Tech football player in an apartment in Blacksburg. His name was Jerry Smith, but Keating couldn’t believe it was her Jerry — until she saw the photo that accompanied the story.
“Those were his ears,” she said. “That was Jerry Paul.”
ON THE OPPOSITE side of Virginia, Isi Etute was born Dec. 6, 2002, the third of David and Nichelle Etute’s four children. David met Nichelle in the late 1990s after immigrating to the U.S. from Nigeria. The pair settled near her family in the busy tourist haven of Virginia Beach.
Isi grew tall, with broad shoulders and an athletic build, a far closer resemblance to his mother than his father, but he remembers, as a kid, eating meals in front of the TV with David so the two could watch football.
Isi began playing when he was 6, and he was immensely competitive. Nichelle remembers a time when her son was 9 and he was kicked with a cleat during a flag football game, forcing him to the sideline with an injury. It was all she could do to keep him from running back onto the field.
At Frank W. Cox High School, Etute excelled playing receiver, linebacker and safety. His football career became central to his family — an army of aunts and uncles and grandparents invading stadiums every Friday to see him play. At the center of the fanfare was always his younger sister, who has Down syndrome along with several severe health issues that require around-the-clock care. Still, she never missed a game, showing up with a nurse in tow, cheering on her big brother.
Etute had a knack for connecting with people, his friend Natalie Jones said. He wasn’t always the best student, but he was quick with a joke and moved easily between cliques.
“I liked everyone to feel included,” Etute told ESPN in fall 2022.
Etute’s football career blossomed, and he earned scholarship offers from a number of high-profile colleges, including NC State, West Virginia and Wake Forest, but he was determined to play in his home state. He visited Virginia Tech once, on a trip with his older brother, Ehis, and he fell in love.
“He was pretty quiet,” coach Justin Fuente remembered, “but he was really excited to be there.”
Etute enrolled at Virginia Tech in January 2021, five months before the rest of his high school class graduated. He made the 300-mile drive along US-460 from Virginia Beach to Blacksburg with his mom and dad. It would be his first time alone, away from his close-knit family and the world he had known growing up.
At trial, Etute’s lawyer asked him whether his parents had offered any parting advice as they delivered him to college that day.
“They just told me to stay focused in school and to not get involved with drugs or alcohol,” Etute testified. “And to just watch who I hang around with.”
ETUTE ARRIVED AT Virginia Tech as death rates from the COVID-19 pandemic peaked in the U.S. An early exposure meant Etute spent his first few weeks in Blacksburg in isolation, and by the time spring practice arrived, he had met few people outside the team.
On Tinder, however, it was easy for a new arrival on campus to meet people.
Etute swiped right on Angie Renee on April 10, 2021, and sent the first message at 9:37 a.m.: “Yo.”
Etute had heard stories of catfishing before, but he found little to be wary of, as many of his friends and teammates had used Tinder without issue. Nearly everyone he knew used the app to find dates. A 2020 study by Pew Research found that more than half of college students use some sort of dating app. For athletes, Etute said, it wasn’t uncommon for women to come across as particularly forward.
Etute and Angie exchanged several messages before she offered an invitation to her apartment. Etute was initially concerned about the meeting and asked to bring a friend. Angie agreed, messaging that she would have sex with both of them. That night, Etute and teammate Da’Shawn Elder rode scooters to Angie’s apartment, arriving around 9:45 p.m. It was raining, and Etute’s cellphone battery was nearly dead.
The men entered through a door that faced a side alleyway, walked up a flight of stairs then down a long hallway to Apartment 207. The door opened as they approached.
“I was scared instantly,” Elder testified. “It was just dark, and I didn’t really like the whole atmosphere.”
Angie led both men into the bedroom and motioned toward the left side of the bed, but Elder refused to follow and instead turned to leave. Etute chased his teammate down the stairs and asked him to return, but Elder wouldn’t. He picked up his scooter and rode away.
Undeterred, Etute went back to the apartment and asked Angie to charge his cellphone. Etute then followed her to the bedroom and sat on the left side of the bed. Angie pulled off Etute’s pants and performed oral sex for “probably seven or eight minutes,” according to Etute.
Elder had called several teammates and explained the situation, and they insisted he return to the apartment and force Etute to leave. So he circled back, climbed the stairs, walked down the long hallway and opened the door to Apartment 207.
“I was scared for my life,” Elder testified, “but I was scared for his because he went back.”
Etute testified that, when he heard Elder at the door, he told Angie to stop and he pulled up his pants. Before he left, Angie handed him $50. He grabbed the cash and his phone, then met Elder at the door. When they reached the street, Etute looked at his phone. He had a text from Angie that she had sent the first time he left the apartment, when his phone battery was nearly dead.
“I’ll pay you $50,” it read. “I’ll be your sugar momma. I want you to keep coming back.”
MONTHS BEFORE ETUTE arrived at Virginia Tech, Fred Jones was relaxing in his Blacksburg apartment when a Facebook message popped up from a woman he didn’t know.
“Hey, sexy,” it read.
Her name was Angie Renee. She said she had recently graduated from Duke. Her profile included photos of a young, white brunette, and she shared additional pictures of herself out with friends.
Jones, who is straight, Black and was 31 at the time, wrote back, offering little information. He worried he was being scammed, but he was curious.
Angie’s responses quickly became graphic. She sent Jones several images of a woman’s genitals, and invited him to her apartment. But due to her job, she said, she couldn’t let him see her face.
“I live above Hokie Mart also I am doctor so I must be discreet,” read one message Jones shared with ESPN, which was followed by an offer of oral sex.
Jones was among the more than three dozen people who reached out to police or defense attorneys in the aftermath of Etute’s arrest and alleged similar interactions with Jerry Smith, some dating back nearly a decade.
Smith’s first known arrest came four months before Etute was born. He was training to become an EMT in August 2002, when his bunkmate at the Read Mountain fire house in Roanoke told police that, while he was sleeping, Smith reached into his boxer shorts and touched his genitals. Police reports show Smith, then 21, was booked into Botetourt County jail, but sentencing records were destroyed after the standard 10-year period.
According to police records and background checks compiled by Etute’s defense team, Smith was cited, arrested or involved in at least 36 criminal incidents in Virginia — ranging from charges of felony larceny and felony embezzlement to a conviction for computer trespass. None resulted in more than a few days of jail time.
In Blacksburg, Smith worked for a number of restaurants while claiming to be the vice president of the Roanoke Regional Restaurant Group, a company he had founded that used his apartment as its corporate address and had no other employees. He founded an LGBTQ+ advocacy group as well, but the nonprofit had no online presence, physical office or other employees.
It’s unclear exactly when Smith began to impersonate women on the internet, but a police report filed in Roanoke suggests he’d been using the “Angie” alias since at least 2015, when a mother discovered sexually explicit Facebook messages between her underage son and a person named Angie. She hired a private investigator, who ultimately tracked the account back to Smith. No charges were filed.
Liz Tabulous lived with Smith off and on for three years in the mid-2010s, and she said Smith routinely announced he was expecting a date, then would turn off the lights in the apartment and request Tabulous keep her distance. Over time, she grew suspicious. Nearly all of the dates were Black men, she said, and most appeared to be young.
Smith and Tabulous were sharing an apartment in Roanoke on Dec. 26, 2014, when Tabulous told police she awoke to a Black man rummaging through her purse around 2 a.m. She’d been out for drinks with Smith that night, then returned to the apartment to sleep. According to police reports, Smith had been pushed to the ground by one man, while another said Smith had given him permission to take money from her purse. The building and apartment both had safety code locks on the doors. Smith denied knowing how the suspects had entered.
In May 2016, Smith was living in Roanoke when he called police to say he woke up to a Black male choking him. He said he fought the suspect off, sustaining minor injuries, including scratches on his neck, ear and back, before running to the local fire department for help. Police noted nothing was missing. There is no record of any subsequent arrests.
After Smith’s death, police received additional reports covering the three previous years, recounting incidents of young, straight men receiving unprompted messages on social media from a woman named Angie Renee, or matching with her on dating sites, frequently followed by an invitation to an apartment above the Hokie Mart.
Angie Renee’s profile had been reported to Tinder as a potential fake several times, but a Tinder spokesperson said the account holder was always able to respond to the automated verification request and prove the account was not a bot. At the time, Tinder offered users an option to have a verified symbol on their profile by uploading a selfie that the app then used to verify that the pictures on the account were of the user. The profile of Angie Renee did not have this verification badge. Tinder has since made this step required.
Fred Jones saw too many red flags in his 2020 interaction with Angie Renee. He texted details to a friend, who responded that Angie Renee had reached out to him, too. Neither went to the apartment.
It was only after he read details of Etute’s arrest that Jones realized he’d been trading messages with Jerry Smith. Days later, he called Etute’s defense team and offered to help.
THE STORY OF Etute’s encounter made the rounds among his teammates. Several of his friends, including Elder, teased him, suggesting Etute could’ve gotten a sexually transmitted disease and wondering whether Angie “could have been a dude,” according to testimony. Etute said he was tested for STDs but brushed off the suggestion that Angie was a man as a “joke.”
“I was still sure it was a female, but it was possible,” Etute testified when asked whether he thought Angie was a male.
Angie continued to text Etute, asking him several times to return to the apartment. Now wary of the situation, Etute testified that he blocked the number but that she soon began to text from other numbers, too.
As the semester drew to a close, Etute was still bothered by the encounter. He had gone home to Virginia Beach after classes ended in May and had recounted the incident to a friend, who advised Etute to reconnect with Angie to learn the truth.
Etute was back near campus on May 31, 2021, attending a girls’ high school soccer game in Roanoke when he got a call from teammate Jalen Hampton, who said he, too, had matched with Angie Renee.
Hampton’s introduction to Angie followed a similar script to Etute’s. They had connected on Tinder, and, after an initial exchange of messages, Angie invited Hampton to meet for sex.
Hampton spoke with Angie on the phone that afternoon and, although he found the conversation “sketchy,” he still went to the apartment.
The door opened before he knocked. It was dark, but he could make out the silhouette of a tall, slender figure. Hampton stood in the doorway, worried he might be robbed.
Over text, Angie had explained that she worked at a hospital and discretion was critical so she kept the apartment dark. But after he arrived, Hampton asked to see her face.
“I already told you,” she said, “you can’t.”
Hampton spent just a few minutes in the apartment, attempting to make small talk to ease his discomfort, but he couldn’t shake the feeling he was being set up, so he left.
Less than a minute later, Hampton’s phone began to ping. Angie sent a slew of texts, saying that he was “annoying” and that if he had concerns, he should talk to his teammate, Isi Etute.
“Do you think it could be a man?” Etute asked Hampton.
“Yeah,” Hampton said. “It could have been.”
Etute asked Hampton to return to the apartment to find out, but Hampton refused to go alone. Then, Etute’s phone pinged with a message from Angie: “Put in a good word with Jalen.”
Nearly two months after his first visit, Etute would return to the apartment with Hampton and another teammate, Jordan Brunson. If Angie was a man, they would run, Etute testified. If Angie was a woman, another sexual liaison might occur. Either way, he’d have closure.
At 9:45 p.m., Etute texted Angie that he was coming to the apartment.
Shortly before 10 p.m., Jerry Smith FaceTimed his brother, John. Jerry was in bed, and he spoke briefly with his 13-year-old nephew.
At 10:07 p.m., Etute, Hampton and Brunson arrived at the door to Apartment 207. Before Etute could knock, it opened.
THREE MINUTES LATER, Etute rushed out into the hallway, breathing heavily and crying. He pulled off a blood-spattered Virginia Tech sweatshirt as he darted toward the stairwell. Elder and Brunson, who had both waited in the hallway outside, followed.
Etute retreated to the curb, his knuckles bloodied, and refused to speak.
“He seemed broken,” Elder said, “like everything that was in him just shattered.”
They did not call 911 or report the incident to police. Despite the bloody footprints he had left on his way out of the building, Etute testified that he had seen only a small amount of blood on Smith’s face and that he did not believe he had seriously hurt him.
The three men departed the scene, and Etute drove Brunson to an off-campus apartment. During the car ride, Brunson testified, Etute said just four words: “It was a guy.”
Etute then drove back to the house where he’d been staying between semesters and phoned his older brother, Ehis.
He cried as he shared details of the incident, ignoring repeated calls from Elder and Brunson, who now worried their teammate might be suicidal.
“I wouldn’t even say [I was] angry,” Etute later testified. “I was destroyed. … I just felt violated and lied to and just tricked into doing sexual acts.”
The next morning, Etute attended football drills, but he said it was mostly a blur. When practice ended, he drove his BMW into the mountains along Highway 460, past the Smith homestead. He found a place he could pull off and park. He sat on the hood of the car and stared out over the vast expanse of rolling hills.
“It was a feeling like I escaped from reality,” Etute said. “I was just there, alone, and not worrying about anything else.”
ETUTE SAID HE had slept for less than two hours from the time he left Smith’s apartment on May 31 to the moment police arrived at his door shortly before 6 a.m. on June 2.
“I already know what this is about,” he told them.
The night before, police had found the nearly unrecognizable body of Jerry Smith. He had injuries to his eyes, cheeks and lips. At least four teeth were knocked out. At trial, the commonwealth’s medical examiner said frothing around Smith’s mouth suggested he had inhaled blood from his facial injuries, and although she could not estimate how long it took Smith to die, she said it was possible he had lain on his floor for hours before taking his final breath.
In an interrogation room at the Blacksburg police station, Etute answered questions from lead detective Ryan Hite for nearly an hour. He spoke nervously as he recounted his time in Smith’s apartment, and when Hite pressed him about his mental state, Etute said he was upset, “because he got his dick sucked by a dude,” according to Hite’s testimony.
During questioning, Etute told detectives he believed he had punched Smith five times and kicked him once. Although police never specifically asked Etute whether he had acted in self-defense, he did not suggest he had feared for his life, nor did he say Smith had reached for the mattress, where police later discovered the knife. The only defense Smith offered during the fight, Etute said, was a swatting motion, which he demonstrated for police.
Near the conclusion of the questioning, police told Etute that Smith was dead.
Etute broke down. He later testified that he pictured his future evaporating as Hite’s words hung in the air.
“I was in a state of shock,” Etute told ESPN. “I froze up. This was serious. I was panicking.”
Hampton, Elder and Brunson were also questioned by police, and all were released. It was clear from security camera footage that none had entered Smith’s apartment.
Etute was arrested and booked on a charge of second-degree murder.
It was only after police completed their search of Smith’s apartment, hours after interviewing Etute, that they discovered a knife between the mattress and box spring. It was a standard kitchen knife with a serrated edge and a black handle, the blade less than 6 inches long. It was found on the left side of the bed, where Etute had twice been instructed to sit. The handle pointed out an inch or two from the edge of the box spring.
The weapon would become the cornerstone of Etute’s self-defense claim.
ETUTE’S TRIAL BEGAN in the Montgomery County Courthouse in Christiansburg, Virginia, almost a year to the day after Smith’s death. The jury — nine women and four men — was tasked with determining whether Etute was guilty of second-degree murder, which carried with it a possible 40-year prison sentence, guilty of the lesser count of voluntary manslaughter or not guilty by reason of self-defense.
Defense attorney Jimmy Turk told the jury Etute had been lured into a liaison by “nothing less than a sexual predator,” who preyed predominantly on young Black men “for his own sexual gratification, not caring about any consequences that it had on his young victims.”
Two years after he had traded messages with Angie Renee on Facebook, Fred Jones sat on a wooden bench outside the courtroom, hoping to testify on Etute’s behalf. For three days, Jones waited. He was never called. Nearly all of Smith’s history of catfishing was barred from the trial, save his online interactions with Etute and Hampton, because Etute had been unaware of it at the time of Smith’s death.
Turk showcased Smith’s interactions with his client with poster-sized screen shots of the Angie Renee Tinder profile and the graphic text exchanges Angie had with Etute.
The prosecution, led by assistant commonwealth’s attorneys Patrick Jensen and Jason Morgan, focused on the details of the incident. Of the eight witnesses called by the commonwealth, only Smith’s brother, John, knew him when he was alive, yet his testimony rarely veered into the personal, beyond an acknowledgement of Jerry’s sexuality during Turk’s cross-examination.
Turk: “You knew he was posing as a straight female, correct?”
John Smith: “No. … I didn’t approve of being gay, so I wasn’t [aware].”
Smith’s autopsy showed nearly every bone in his face had been broken — his nose, his right eye, both cheekbones, the bone over the upper lip and his upper jaw. Images of Smith’s battered face flickered on a screen in the courtroom as the medical examiner explained that Smith had suffered multiple hemorrhages in the right frontal part of his brain, which caused his brain to swell. The medical examiner said Etute had kicked Smith in the face at least twice — the first covering Etute’s sandal in blood, and a second one that left a bloody imprint of the Tommy Hilfiger logo and tread pattern on Smith’s cheek. There were no defensive wounds on Smith’s arms or hands. The medical examiner ruled Smith had died of blunt force trauma.
“There is not a lot to unpack in this case,” Morgan told the jury, acknowledging the lie that initially brought Etute to Smith’s apartment. “And Mr. Etute had every right to be angry at the situation. But Jerry Paul Smith did not deserve to die.”
Turk suggested there was far less certainty and introduced “the reach” — the moment when Etute said he saw Smith reach toward the left side of the bed. Before Etute entered the apartment, Brunson warned him to be careful, noting Angie could have a gun hidden somewhere. When Smith reached back toward the bed, Turk argued, Etute’s first thought was of a gun. He believed running from the apartment would leave him vulnerable.
That Etute was unaware of the knife stashed beneath the mattress was immaterial, Turk said. Its existence offered ample proof that Smith was dangerous and that Etute was right to be afraid.
Turk cast Smith as the monster, pushing police on whether Smith, himself, would have been charged with a crime for sexual assault by ruse. He portrayed Etute as “a typical teenager” with a bright future who had never before been charged with a crime.
During his testimony, Etute was so soft-spoken that jurors repeatedly asked him to speak louder or for the court to provide a microphone. Etute appeared embarrassed when reading aloud the explicit text messages Smith sent him.
“I was destroyed,” he testified. “I would never intentionally try to harm anyone, especially to the point of death, ever. I’ve never gotten into a fight my whole life, and those were not my intentions at all.”
In his closing argument, Turk pleaded with the jury to see Etute as a victim, breaking down in tears as he described his relationship with his client.
“I’ve got three daughters,” Turk told the jury, “and here is a young man sitting over there that, if I had a son, that’s exactly who I would want to have.”
In Jensen’s closing argument, he implored the jury to dismiss the notion of self-defense and, at the very least, find Etute guilty of voluntary manslaughter.
“I cannot explain to you why Jerry Smith created a profile on Tinder stating that he was a female wanting to meet or hook up or match with young males,” Jensen said in his closing argument. “I can’t explain it to you. I wish I could. There is one person who could have explained it, and that was Jerry Smith. We’ll never get that answer because the defendant killed Jerry Smith.”
AS THE JURY deliberated, friends and family of Smith and Etute stood in the promenade outside the courtroom.
John Smith, surrounded by family who had insisted from the outset that Jerry Smith was no predator, glared at Etute from across a long hallway. During preliminary hearings, family members had told TV reporters that Smith “would never hurt a fly” and wore matching T-shirts that read “Justice for Jerry.”
A few feet away, Etute’s family hugged and cried. Brunson, Hampton and Elder took turns wrapping their arms around their former teammate. Etute said he had felt “numb” through much of the trial, and it was only as the jury deliberated that he fully grasped what was at stake.
“It was a lot of emotions,” Etute said. “I was sweating. I was trying to keep everything together, but seeing my folks crying in front of me, I broke down.”
After three hours of deliberations, court resumed. Etute sat silently next to Turk with his head bowed. The jury filed back with a verdict, which the clerk read aloud: “We the jury find the defendant, Isi David Etute, not guilty.”
A gasp arose from the audience.
Etute fell to his knees and slumped under the defense table, remaining there as a celebration erupted around him.
John Smith smacked the bench in front of him, a thud echoing through the courtroom, before Jerry Smith’s cousins, uncles and aunts, friends and neighbors left the courtroom.
“We couldn’t believe it,” said neighbor Vicki Tickle, who attended the trial. “I was shocked.”
Dave Gittings, the Virginia Tech team chaplain, led Etute’s legal team and family in a prayer — one of thanks, he said, and for forgiveness.
“It was an opportunity, yes, to celebrate,” Gittings said, “but also to be reminded that a life is gone. Part of my prayer was gratitude and relief and thankfulness, but the other part was just sincere humility after such a tragic thing.”
JOHN SMITH STILL lives in Giles County with his two sons, where he owns a trucking company that bears the family name. Jerry’s death and the jury’s verdict, Tickle said, have left a hole in the family.
John Smith declined to speak for this story, although he told ESPN at the trial that he believed Etute met with Jerry willingly and that his brother was not a predator. He vehemently disagreed with the verdict.
“I saw pain in him that I’d never seen before,” Tickle said of John. “That was his brother. And his sons thought the sun rose and set with Jerry.”
Blacksburg today retains barely a hint of Jerry Smith. A few remnants of his work in local restaurants remain — an old local news clip where he discusses the impact of the pandemic on small businesses, lapsed LLCs.
At the D.P. Dough restaurant where Smith worked, a manager denied knowledge of Smith’s activities. She had known him, she said, but she wasn’t interested in talking. She wanted the story to go away.
Blacksburg Police and the commonwealth’s attorney’s office both declined ESPN’s request for comment on the case and the jury’s verdict.
Etute’s arrest had initially been followed by a flurry of concern from local and national LGBTQ+ groups who wondered whether Smith’s death had been a hate crime, but after the verdict, ESPN asked for comment from nearly a dozen advocacy groups around Virginia, including several affiliated with Virginia Tech, and none replied.
“I don’t know that Jerry’s life meant as much to people as it should have,” said former classmate Justin Callahan.
Smith’s high school friend Chelsea Keating still lives in Blacksburg, and she said many of her friends and neighbors — people she had grown up with who had known Smith as a boy — shrugged off his death and cheered the verdict.
“Everybody is sort of justifying [Smith’s] murder because of all these things that came out,” Keating said. “But Etute didn’t know that. It’s not like he was being a vigilante. I’m not saying what Jerry did was OK, but he didn’t deserve to be stomped to death.”
Tickle gets emotional now thinking about the sweet kid who used to walk to her house and ask her for help tying his necktie because he could never quite learn to do it on his own.
He had wanted to be a paramedic, she said, and she remembers a time when her husband, Bill, was bedridden in 2007, in the late stages of cancer. In a failed attempt to climb from his bed, he had ripped out his catheter. The house was in chaos, with Tickle’s children yelling, “Daddy’s bleeding!” Tickle called her neighbor.
Jerry Smith ran to her house, called for medical assistance and draped a blanket over Bill. Then he pulled up a chair and sat next to him, patting his head and smoothing his hair to keep him calm until medics arrived.
The Jerry Smith she knew was so much better than any of the stories he had created.
“I told him so many times to just be himself, to be honest and kind, and not to worry about trying to impress anyone with lies,” Tickle said. “People would love him a lot more for just being Jerry, but he just wanted to be thought of as more.”
IT HAS BEEN more than two years since Etute darted from the apartment above Hokie Mart. He’s 20 now. He insists he has grown.
“[My mother] is helping me along the journey getting closer to God, too,” Etute said. “It changed the way I think about everything, really.”
There are lots of days when Etute thinks back on all that has happened and wishes things were different, wishes he had never met Jerry Smith. Things happen for a reason, though, he said. That’s one of those lessons his mother has preached.
“The only thing that I could take from it is just, at least they’re not going to be able to do this to anyone else,” Etute told ESPN after the trial. “If, let’s say, I was even locked up right now, I’d just still be thinking, ‘At least he’s not doing this to more people and just messing up people’s lives.'”
After the trial, Etute reached out to a number of coaches who had recruited him out of high school, but none was willing to offer a roster spot. The trial had ended well past the time in which most schools were still adding transfers, and Etute, who had been suspended from Virginia Tech’s football team upon his arrest, had now missed a year of training and practice. But more than that, there was a stigma attached to his name, as one coach who had originally recruited Etute told ESPN. A jury found him not guilty, but he had killed someone.
Brunson, Elder and Hampton all transferred from Virginia Tech as well. None found a scholarship at another Power 5 school. Brunson landed at Miami (Ohio), Elder at Middle Tennessee and Hampton at Elon. All declined to talk to ESPN, but Elder’s mother wondered whether her son was seen as a pariah for his role in the events leading up to Smith’s death.
Although Etute said few people from Virginia Tech stayed in touch after his arrest, his former coach was the one who found him a new place to play. Justin Fuente was fired midway through the 2021 season — less than six months after Etute’s arrest — but he felt compelled to help.
Fuente reached out to Iowa Western Junior College and facilitated an offer.
“I felt like I owed it to him,” Fuente said. “Every part of this is just a tragedy, but I didn’t want his life to be ruined because of it.”
Iowa Western athletic director Shane Larson said the school had numerous conversations with Etute, his family and coaches before bringing Etute to campus.
In August 2022, Etute moved to Council Bluffs, Iowa, a small town on the edge of the Missouri River, where he’s a general studies major and hopes to become a physical therapist. His brother, Ehis, enrolled at Iowa Western, too, and he spent the 2022-23 academic year living in a dorm room next to Isi’s.
Iowa Western won the 2022 junior college national championship, finishing with a 10-2 record. Etute didn’t play a snap. He lost more than 30 pounds during his time under house arrest, and he used the year to train with the team and get back into playing shape.
It was time, too, to come to terms with all that has happened in his life and begin to script a new path forward. That’s his focus now, he said.
With a little more than two minutes left in the first quarter of Iowa Western Community College’s 2023 opener, Etute jogged onto the field for his first official snap of football in nearly three years.
There were only a few dozen fans on the visiting side of the bleachers in Dodge City, Kansas. He had no family in attendance, and there were no news cameras there to chronicle the moment. He wore a white Reivers jersey with the No. 35 on the back and no nameplate.
On his third snap of the game, Etute came off the edge and helped wrap up the ball carrier in the backfield. There was no fanfare, no celebration, no obvious sign of all that had come before.
When Etute was first arrested, he said he believed he might never see the outside of a prison cell again. After the verdict was delivered, and Etute was officially set free, he said he felt as if he was “walking on eggshells” for weeks.
Now on a football field 1,200 miles from Virginia Tech, Etute was mostly reserved on the sideline, always on the periphery of a scrum of players celebrating a turnover or recapping a play, but he was in a place that felt good.
Turk’s family has remained close with Etute. They still text weekly, and in the summer, Etute visits Turk’s lake house.
“He’s in a good spot now,” Turk said. “His head is on straight. He’s had time to reflect.”
Etute wants to believe in a future beyond Jerry Smith, one where his life is defined by his friends and family and his success on the field. But he can’t forget.
“I never would’ve thought I’d be responsible for taking a life,” Etute said. “I always feel bad about it, but at the same time, I try to just move forward. I ask for forgiveness every day.”
Etute’s history isn’t common fodder in Council Bluffs, but occasionally, he said, a teammate inquires about how he landed at Iowa Western. Sometimes he recounts it all. Other times he tells them they can go read about it. The story is out there.
Tonya Simpson contributed to this story.
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Ryan S. Clark
LAS VEGAS — Just when it appeared that the Vegas Golden Knights finally found an opening in overtime, their chances of winning Game 2 were quickly shut down in controversial fashion.
It wasn’t that the Golden Knights were overlooking what it means to be in a 2-0 series hole following a 5-4 overtime loss Thursday to the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday in Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals at T-Mobile Arena.
They were more concerned with what they saw, and what they didn’t see from referee Gord Dwyer just 17 seconds before Leon Draisaitl‘s game-winning goal gave the Oilers their first 2-0 series lead since 2017.
Vegas defenseman Brayden McNabb was going toward for the puck when Edmonton winger Viktor Arvidsson‘s stick got between McNabb’s legs, which sent McNabb into the boards. The play wasn’t ruled a penalty, and it led to the Oilers eventually going into transition before Draisaitl converted a 2-on-1 chance for the winner.
“It’s pretty clear it’s a penalty,” Golden Knights captain Mark Stone said. “His stick is between McNabb’s legs, and he sends him headfirst into the boards. It’s a pretty clear-cut penalty in my eyes and I think everybody’s eyes, right? But that’s hockey. You don’t always get the calls.”
Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy was a bit more direct about what he saw on the McNabb play.
“Listen, Gord’s looking at it. He blew it. He missed the call,” Cassidy said. “I don’t know what else to say. It’s a can-opener trip, it’s a dangerous play, it’s all those things. But it didn’t get called, so you’ve got to keep playing.”
Cassidy said he didn’t have an immediate update on McNabb’s status for Game 3 on Saturday in Edmonton. If he were to miss Game 3, it would leave the Golden Knights without one of their most important players.
McNabb, who was part of their Stanley Cup-winning team in 2023, is one of their top-pairing options and also a crucial piece of a penalty kill that had a significant role in how the Golden Knights survived so late in overtime.
An urgently aggressive Golden Knights team kept pushing to start the first period before forward Victor Olofsson opened with his first-ever playoff goal on the power play in the first period. Three consecutive goals from Oilers trio Jake Walman, Vasily Podkolzin and Darnell Nurse gave them a 3-1 lead. Golden Knights forward William Karlsson scored late in the second to cut it to 3-2.
Oilers forward Evander Kane doubled the lead to 4-2 within the first two minutes of the third before Olofsson’s second, also on the power play, less than three minutes later again cut the lead to a single goal. The Golden Knights forced overtime when alternate captain and star defenseman Alex Pietrangelo fired a shot from distance with 8:02 remaining in regulation.
Vegas had two chances in the final 30 seconds, only to have them both stopped by Edmonton goaltender Calvin Pickard, who finished with 28 saves, before heading to overtime.
Olofsson had a chance at a game-winning hat trick with a point-blank chance with 18:45 remaining before Nurse’s stick stopped him from having a clean shot.
“Definitely had a lot of good looks, and I think we could have had a couple more goals,” Olofsson said of a Golden Knights team that finished with 19 high-danger scoring chances.
Natural Stat Trick’s metrics show that Vegas’ shot-share in overtime was 66.7%. But even in a period in which they controlled possession, there was a moment when they nearly lost their grip.
Golden Knights forward Nicolas Roy received a five-minute major for cross-checking after his stick connected with Trent Frederic’s face. Roy appeared as if he was trying to play a puck in midair, only to then strike Frederic, which sent the Oilers on the power play.
The NHL’s No. 12 power-play unit in the regular season, the Oilers had a few chances on net but were either stopped by Golden Knights goaltender Adin Hill or had their chances broken up by an aggressive forecheck that allowed them to go through unscathed.
With a pair of power-play goals already, the Golden Knights believed they could have added a third once McNabb went into the boards.
Instead? They watched the Oilers regroup, Draisaitl get on a 2-on-1 and beat Hill for the win.
“This one will sting,” Cassidy said. “But the positives tomorrow will be good. I felt that we outplayed the Oilers for the most part and deserved a better fate. How the guys look at that? If they take it as, ‘We just gotta carry that over’ — we both said we wanted to get better as the series went on and we were certainly better than Game 1. So, we’ll improve on today if we want to get back into it.”
Going back to their first campaign in the 2017-18 season, the Golden Knights have made the playoffs in all but one year. Throughout that time, they’ve been in a 2-0 series hole once, against the Colorado Avalanche in a second-round series back in 2021.
The Golden Knights would come back to win that series with four consecutive victories.
“I liked our game today; we had a lot of good chances,” said Stone, who is one of nine players who remain from that team in 2021. “We put up four goals, and usually when you score four goals, you’re going to win a playoff game. Unfortunately, we didn’t. You can’t get down, you got to go to Edmonton tomorrow, get ready for Saturday night’s game and put your best foot forward and get a win.”
With two games in the books for three of four second-round series, trends have begun to emerge — some not so good for the teams that many picked to make long runs this postseason.
The defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers are in a 2-0 hole, returning home to host the Toronto Maple Leafs for Game 3 (7 p.m. ET, TNT). In Friday’s nightcap, the Dallas Stars will look for another road victory over the Winnipeg Jets (9:30 p.m. ET, TNT).
Read on for game previews with statistical insights from ESPN Research, a recap of what went down in Thursday’s games and the three stars of Thursday from Arda Öcal.
Matchup notes
Toronto Maple Leafs at Florida Panthers
Game 3 | 7 p.m. ET | TNT
In their franchise history, the Maple Leafs have won 84% of their best-of-seven series when going up 2-0. The Panthers are 0-5 in best-of-seven series when trailing 0-2.
This series features the two highest-scoring lines at 5-on-5 this postseason: Eetu Luostarinen–Anton Lundell–Brad Marchand (eight) and Matthew Knies–Auston Matthews–Mitch Marner (seven, including the game-winning goal in Game 2).
William Nylander scored a goal for the third straight game, and he has six goals and 13 points this postseason. He is the second Maple Leaf of the past 30 years to score five goals in a three-game span — joining Alexander Mogilny from 2003 — and the first Maple Leaf since Doug Gilmour in 1993 to have 13 or more points in the first eight games of a postseason.
With a goal in Game 2, Marchand now has 32 postseason points against the Leafs in his career, which is fourth most all time. He trails Gordie Howe (53), Alex Delvecchio (35) and Henri Richard (33).
Stepping in for injured Anthony Stolarz, Joseph Woll saved 25 of 28 shots for Toronto. His counterpart, Sergei Bobrovsky, allowed four goals on 20 shots and has allowed nine total goals through Games 1 and 2. That is tied for the second most he has allowed in a two-game span in his playoff career.
Dallas Stars at Winnipeg Jets
Game 2 | 9:30 p.m. ET | TNT
After a win in Game 1, the Stars are now -360 favorites to win the series, while the Jets are +280, according to ESPN BET. The win for Dallas snapped an eight-game losing streak in Game 1s.
Mikko Rantanen provided all the offense that Dallas needed in the 3-2 win, scoring his second single-period hat trick in as many games. He set a record for the most consecutive team goal contributions (goal or assist) in Stanley Cup playoff history, with 12; the previous mark was nine by Mario Lemieux in 1992.
Game 1 was Jason Robertson‘s first game back after sustaining an injury in the final game of the regular season. He played 13:44, including 1:00 on the power play, and registered one shot.
The opening clash was also Mark Scheifele‘s return to the ice, though his absence was just since April 30 and Game 5 against the Blues in Round 1. Scheifele scored a goal and registered seven shots in 22:36 of ice time.
Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck and Dallas’ Jake Oettinger are considered the two leading candidates to be Team USA’s goaltender at the 2026 Olympics. Oettinger took the first round of the head-to-head battle, saving 29 of 31 shots and getting the W; Hellebuyck saved 21 of 24 shots in defeat.
Öcal’s three stars from Thursday
Wilson was key in the Capitals tying up their series against the Canes. It was the first time he had a playoff game with at least two points, two hits, two blocked shots and three shots on goal.
Draisaitl scored the game winner in overtime as Edmonton takes a 2-0 series lead on Vegas. He joins Esa Tikkanen (from 1991) as the only players in franchise history with multiple OT goals in a single postseason.
Eichel registered three assists in the OT loss to Edmonton, and he now has eight points in his past five games (one goal, seven assists). That ties his own mark for most points in a five-game span in his postseason career.
Thursday’s recaps
Washington Capitals 3, Carolina Hurricanes 1
Series tied 1-1 | Game 3 Saturday
After a loss to the Canes in Game 1, the Capitals looked like a different team as veteran winger Tom Wilson “set the tone,” according to Alex Ovechkin. Connor McMichael started the scoring at 2:16 of the second period, and John Carlson put the Caps up 2-0 with a power-play goal near the start of the third on an assist by Wilson and Dylan Strome. Shayne Gostisbehere pulled Carolina within one with a power-play goal of his own, but Wilson finished them off with an empty-netter with a minute left. Full recap.
0:52
John Carlson buries Caps’ second goal of the night
John Carlson sends the Capitals fans into a frenzy after a beautiful goal early in the third period.
Edmonton Oilers 5, Vegas Golden Knights 4 (OT)
EDM leads 2-0 | Game 3 Saturday
Seeking a win to tie up the series, Vegas was on the board first with a goal from Victor Olofsson at 8:42 of the first period. Edmonton, however, charged back with three straight goals in the second period (from Jake Walman, Vasily Podkolzin and Darnell Nurse), before William Karlsson drew the Knights within one at 18:10. Evander Kane put the Oilers back up by two at 1:52 of the third, before Vegas rallied with goals by Olofsson and Alex Pietrangelo to send the game to OT. Leon Draisaitl tallied the game winner, giving the Oilers a 5-4 win and a 2-0 series lead heading home to Alberta. Full recap.
3:32
Oilers prevail in OT to take 2-0 series lead
Scott Van Pelt recaps the Oilers’ thrilling 5-4 overtime win over the Golden Knights to take a 2-0 series lead.
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Billy Tucker
Whether through the transfer portal or a fresh wave of high school talent, college football teams across the country have replenished their rosters and even had a chance to evaluate some of their early enrollees during spring football.
Rosters are now mostly set and preseason camp is a few months away. It is a perfect time to project newcomers who could have the biggest impact on the 2025 season for each of the teams on Mark Schlabach’s Way-Too-Early Top 25 list.
Top newcomer: WR Trebor Pena (Transferred from Syracuse)
Why: While tight end Tyler Warren lined up everywhere and caught 104 passes for 1,223 yards last year, Penn State hasn’t had a dominant wide receiver since Jahan Dotson and didn’t have an impact option out wide in 2024. The Nittany Lions moved swiftly to overhaul the position, also adding Kyron Hudson (USC) and Devonte Ross (Troy), but Pena was the clear-cut top receiving threat in the spring portal. Pena has the skill set — and the mettle — to deliver in critical situations and be a go-to receiver for Drew Allar. Last season, Pena teamed with Kyle McCord at Syracuse to catch 84 passes for 941 yards and nine touchdowns.
What to expect: Look for Pena to become Allar’s consistent underneath checkdown target, particularly on key third-down conversions. Pena is versatile, reliable and slippery in tight quarters. Even if he doesn’t match his 84-catch pace at Penn State, which doesn’t pass nearly as often as Syracuse does, he should still replace some of the production and versatility void left behind by Warren. The sixth-year senior should catch on fast in Happy Valley despite missing spring practice. He’ll be the reliable slot who dominates zone coverage with savvy route running and sudden breaks to create separation. Don’t underestimate his quick impact in the return game as well.
Top newcomer: RB Gideon Davidson (No. 59 in the ESPN 300)
Why: The third-best running back in the 2025 ESPN 300, Davidson is a great example of how enrolling early can help springboard a freshman toward an immediate impact. Early signs are that he resembles Travis Etienne with his quick read and cut ability and could step in immediately to help replace 1,100-yard rusher Phil Mafah. Davidson was Virginia’s 2024 Gatorade Player of the Year and tallied more than 8,000 yards from scrimmage as a high schooler. His youth shouldn’t hold him back given Clemson’s otherwise inexperienced running back room.
What to expect: Davidson isn’t as big as Mafah, but he’s faster and will add a more explosive cutback element on zone runs. His great vision and speed should fit nicely into Clemson’s schemes. Clemson could utilize him quickly as a change-of-pace, all-purpose back if he’s not the featured back by the time the season opens. Clemson’s experienced passing game is the perfect antidote to take some pressure off the freshman.
Top newcomer: TE Jack Endries (Transferred from Cal)
Why: Don’t undervalue a trusted pass catcher at this position for a playoff contender with a new starting quarterback. Gunnar Helm was extremely productive in Steve Sarkisian’s offense last season with 60 catches for 786 receiving yards and seven scores. Endries is cut from the same cloth. He has soft hands with explosive potential after the catch, deceptive speed and elusiveness. Endries might not be quite as athletic as Helm, but he’s agile with good body control and runs very efficient routes to get open and catch the football. He led Cal in both catches (56) and yards (623) last season.
What to expect: Endries’ production may actually drop a bit at Texas, but he’ll play a vital role for a national championship contender and offer quarterback Arch Manning a much-needed safety valve. Endries is an every-down presence who can do whatever an offense requires. He uses his strong body to rub off defenders and create separation on crossing routes. Endries will prove to be a productive blocker and pass catcher in a fairly inexperienced tight ends room. Although Endries didn’t get the benefit of jelling with Manning in spring ball, he has a high IQ for both his position and the overall game. He played in multiple offensive schemes at Cal and should make a smooth transition in Austin.
Top newcomer: WR Zachariah Branch (Transferred from USC)
Why: While Talyn Taylor will have an impactful season as a true freshman, Branch has experience. He has been one of college football’s truly dynamic talents with the ball in his hands. He arrived in college with 4.39 40-yard dash speed and became an instant playmaker for the Trojans in the return game. He was the program’s first-ever freshman to be named a first-team All-American. After his production stagnated as a sophomore, he hopped in the portal. His playmaking ability is a welcomed addition for a Georgia offense that was anything but surehanded at wide receiver in 2024, leading all FBS programs with 36 receiver drops, according to ESPN Research. Branch should take some of the pressure off new Bulldogs quarterback Gunner Stockton.
What to expect: Branch could have the best season of his career in Athens and help the Dawgs offense become more consistent than a year ago. He’s the ultimate underneath checkdown and safety valve who can create separation with his suddenness and will complement Georgia’s bigger outside targets, such as Texas A&M transfer Noah Thomas, to create mismatches. He’s explosive with the ball in his hands after the catch as well. Without great returning running back production, expect offensive coordinator Mike Bobo to feature Branch creatively on screens, jet sweeps, quick slants and crossers to maximize his ability after the catch in space, He should become a go-to third-down option for Stockton.
Top newcomer: TE Max Klare (Transferred from Purdue)
Why: The Buckeyes will introduce a group of new starters on offense this season including quarterback Julian Sayin. What’s the best weapon for a new quarterback? How about an elite pass-catching tight end with excellent hands and polished route-running skills who won’t receive a lot of defensive attention? Despite Purdue’s anemic offense, Klare managed an impressive 51 catches for 685 yards last season and the Boilermakers utilized him to create mismatches in the passing game through multiple sets and formations. At 6-foot-4, Klare moves well and adjusts to difficult throws while also creating separation as a route runner. He’s a great runner who gets up the seam quickly as a downfield threat.
What to expect: Klare is a versatile big-play target who will double his touchdowns and increase his yards per catch in the Buckeyes’ offense, but his volume might go down. Defenses will focus so much on defending wide receivers Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate that Klare will be left to cash in on opportunities underneath. Look for coach Ryan Day to get creative with his new playmaker to create mismatches on less athletic linebackers in single coverage and rack up record-breaking offensive numbers.
Top newcomer: Edge Patrick Payton (Transferred from Florida State)
Why: Will Campbell became an instant starter at LSU and just went fourth overall to the Patriots. So, it’s easy to look at incoming five-star offensive tackle Solomon Thomas as a natural successor. But LSU’s most impactful newcomer will be someone who gets after quarterbacks, not protects them. Payton should be plenty motivated to make an immediate impact. He notched seven sacks in 2023 alongside future pros Jared Verse and Braden Fiske, but his production went backward in a leading role. Once viewed as a potential high draft pick, the clock’s ticking for Payton to prove he can be the leading man in his final year of eligibility. The Tigers need it after losing top edge rushers Bradyn Swinson and Sai’vion Jones, who combined for 13 sacks in 2024.
What to expect: Double-digit sacks. Payton has a better supporting cast around him and a scheme to get back to form. What does that mean for SEC foes? A Day 1 NFL draft talent screaming off the edge. He’s lengthy, fluid and explosive and can bend the corner and close on quarterbacks when he’s on his game and motivated. Consistency is the issue, but Payton has a fresh start and eyes on the NFL prize. He has a dynamic skill set, as he can drop in coverage and chase plays down in space, but his speed and length will be utilized best as a pass-rush specialist.
Top newcomer: WR Malachi Fields (Transferred from Virginia)
Why: With Steve Angeli‘s transfer to Syracuse, all signs point to coach Marcus Freeman handing his offense over to redshirt freshman CJ Carr — a big ask for an unproven, young quarterback in a program that reached the national title game last year. Adding a player like Fields will take some pressure off Carr. Fields is a massive target and contested-catch specialist at 6-foot-4, 220 pounds who was plenty effective at Virginia despite topsy-turvy quarterback play. He finished eighth in the ACC with 808 receiving yards on 55 catches, nearly mirroring his 2023 production. Fields was also a team captain at Virginia and is well-equipped to step into the spotlight for the Fighting Irish in his final year of eligibility.
What to expect: More explosive downfield plays in South Bend. Freeman has been selective in the transfer portal, but there are big plans for Fields in 2025. He should break out and actually surpass his production at Virginia given his superior surrounding cast at Notre Dame. Fields is an immediate upgrade over Notre Dame’s returning receivers, as well as the departing duo of Jayden Thomas (Transferred to Virginia) and Beaux Collins (New York Giants). Fields is a proven receiver with all the physical attributes to help Carr acclimate quickly as a rookie quarterback, serving as a big-bodied, athletic target on the outside. Fields is arguably a sharper route runner and a more durable, consistent outside threat than Collins, who averaged 12 yards per catch last year.
Top newcomer: WR Dakorien Moore (No. 4 in the ESPN 300)
Why: In the transfer portal era, it’s harder than ever for freshmen to make an immediate impact. But this isn’t your typical freshman. Moore is the highest-graded receiver ESPN has evaluated since 2020. His 93 grade tops recent five-stars such as Ryan Williams and Jeremiah Smith in 2024, Zachariah Branch in 2023 and Luther Burden III in 2022. The 2025 Under Armour All-American game MVP, Moore notched more than 4,000 receiving yards in a battle-tested environment at Duncanville (Texas) High School, where he ran a scorching 10.4 100-meter dash and anchored the school’s 4×200 relay team that set a national record last spring with a time of 1:22.25. New Ducks starting quarterback Dante Moore will benefit from a blazing underneath weapon who is a menace after the catch.
What to expect: Moore will be a starter by midseason — he’s simply too talented to keep off the field. He’s a bigger, faster version of Tez Johnson, who led Oregon in receiving last season and was drafted in the seventh round by the Buccaneers. Moore’s dynamic skills should allow the Ducks to move veteran playmaker Evan Stewart around more within the offense. Moore is confident, competitive and smart. Being on campus this spring was extremely beneficial for his acclimation to high-level college football. Moore checks all the boxes physically, and Oregon knows it can use him in a variety of ways.
Top newcomer: WR Lotzeir Brooks (No. 102 in the ESPN 300)
Why: Alabama wasn’t particularly aggressive in the transfer portal, so there could be an opportunity for a freshman from its fourth-ranked recruiting class to emerge. The 5-9, 180-pound Brooks is the most decorated high school receiver to come out of New Jersey, setting the state record for receiving yards (4,615) and touchdowns (67). He arrived in Tuscaloosa early and turned heads in Alabama’s spring practices as a slot receiver.
What to expect: Playing alongside sophomore Ryan Williams, Brooks could emerge as a contributor in Kalen DeBoer’s offense as the season progresses. He’s small but dynamic and very quick and sudden in his movements. Brooks creates separation as a route runner, especially underneath. He’s a chain-mover after the catch with great burst and acceleration, and he sees the field well. Brooks could show off those attributes early on as a punt returner as well.
Top newcomer: DT Keanu Tanuvasa (Transferred from Utah)
Why: BYU ranked 13th in FBS team defense last year, and its opportunistic secondary led the Big 12 with 22 interceptions. But its defensive front, which wasn’t overly disruptive, lost four starters, and the Cougars didn’t have any players drafted. If Tanuvasa stays healthy and plays up to his potential, both of those things will change in the near future. Tanuvasa started 19 of 24 games for the Utes and was an All-Big 12 honorable mention last year despite playing in only seven games because of injuries. The 6-4, 301-pounder has two years of eligibility remaining, but it won’t be a surprise if he garners early-round draft consideration should he play a full season. Until then, he’ll be the type of interior defensive presence Kalani Sitake loves to build around.
What to expect: His stats won’t jump off the page, but he will require double-teams and full attention from opposing offenses, freeing up the Cougars’ pass rushers off the edge. If teams try to single-block Tanuvasa, expect pockets to collapse quickly because of his quickness, power and high motor. His stout presence will eat up blocks and free talented linebackers Isaiah Glasker and Jack Kelly to make plays behind the line of scrimmage versus the run. The void up front left by Tyler Batty & Co. won’t be noticeable because of Tanuvasa’s production and leadership.
Top newcomer: WR Hudson Clement (Transferred from West Virginia)
Why: The Illini have desirable continuity at quarterback with Luke Altmyer returning for his third season. Now, they need to surround him with playmaking and experience, especially considering their lack of chunk plays in 2024. So while true freshman receiver Brayden Trimble is someone to watch, Clement has college experience. A former West Virginia walk-on, Clement started 19 games over the past two seasons, including 12 last year, when he set career highs in receptions (51) and yards (741). Pat Bryant and Zakhari Franklin combined for 51% of Illinois’ receptions last season. Both have moved on, meaning there’s a ton of opportunity for Clement to quickly get up to speed and become Altmyer’s new favorite target.
What to expect: Clement will end the season as Illinois’ most productive receiver and the top target for Altmyer. His upside is extremely high and he’s an experienced Power 4 veteran. Clement showed flashes this spring and has a mix of Bryant’s and Franklin’s traits. The 6-foot-1, 205 pounder has a nice frame and a savvy feel for navigating zone coverage and finding the soft spots in the second and third levels of the defense. Clement is a very reliable downfield target with excellent hands and body control. His leadership experience in the wide receiver room will be just as important as his play on the field.
Top newcomer: RB Kanye Udoh (Transferred from Army)
Why: Following Cam Skattebo will require a certain kind of mental toughness, which is exactly what Udoh brings after spending two years at Army. It’s unfair to assume any player can replace Skattebo, who had over 2,300 combined yards last year for a College Football Playoff contender and made an outsized off-the-field impact on the program as well before departing for the NFL. Udoh was used immediately at Army, running for 524 yards as a freshman, then followed it up with a 1,117-yard campaign last year with 10 touchdowns on 6.2 yards per touch.
What to expect: The continuation of a ground-and-pound offense. Udoh will fill the production void left by Skattebo with a similar physical presence that wears down a defense, eats the clock and makes him a fan favorite like his predecessor. Udoh actually has better acceleration out of his cuts and top-end speed than Skattebo. If he falls short on production, Kyson Brown and Raleek Brown will help pick up the slack for one of the best backfields in the Big 12.
Top newcomer: C Boaz Stanley (Transferred from Troy)
Why: The Gamecocks have the talent to break through and reach the College Football Playoff for the first time, and dual-threat quarterback LaNorris Sellers has a very real chance to become the first quarterback drafted following the 2025 season. But those expectations could come crashing down if South Carolina can’t solidify its foundation from the inside out, which is no sure thing considering the Gamecocks must replace their entire interior starting line from last season. Stanley should be a steadying presence at center. The 6-foot-4, 310-pound Troy transfer arrives with plenty of starting experience, the versatility to kick out to tackle in a pinch and a technically sound play style — he didn’t commit any penalties in 2024.
What to expect: Stanley will be the catalyst behind an explosive South Carolina offense that exceeds expectations. He will keep Sellers upright and open holes for transfer running back Rahsul Faison, who could challenge Stanley as the top newcomer in Columbia. Stanley has a powerful lower body and excellent base to anchor in pass protection and drive blockers off the ball on downhill run schemes. South Carolina will covet his versatility to play either on the interior or outside at tackle. While his physicality and leverage will draw rave reviews, his leadership qualities at the key center position and finishing attitude will make Gamecocks teammates better around him.
Top newcomer: WR Chase Sowell (Transferred from East Carolina)
Why: Sowell has big shoes to fill in Ames. Iowa State is coming off the most wins in program history (11), and the Houston Texans just drafted a pair of Cyclones receivers, Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel, in the second and third rounds, respectively. Higgins and Noel combined for just over 60% of Iowa State’s receptions a year ago. The 6-foot-4 Sowell arrives with big-play ability after averaging 19.9 yards per reception last year over nine games for East Carolina. Sowell began his career at Colorado but was limited by injuries as a freshman before he transferred. He’ll need to prove he can stay healthy, but Sowell has the talent to become a quick favorite of quarterback Rocco Becht and rack up chunk plays for Iowa State.
What to expect: Sowell and Xavier Townsend will step in and replace most of the void left by Higgins and Noel. Sowell is long, smooth for his size and can really run vertically. He isn’t quite as strong as his predecessors, but he’s more fluid and elusive. He’s an easy mover like Higgins and can execute on all three levels of the Iowa State passing offense. Matt Campbell is one the best in the country at finding and developing scheme fits. Sowell is already developed and definitely fits the Cyclones’ system.
Top newcomer: WR Link Rhodes (Transferred from San Joaquin Delta College)
Why: Rhodes wasn’t a highly ranked recruit out of Sunrise Mountain High School in Las Vegas, but the 6-foot-2, 200-pound receiver ranked No. 23 on ESPN’s junior college rankings after breaking out for 607 yards on 46 catches last year at San Joaquin Delta College, where he also won a California Community College Athletic Association state track championship by running a 10.59 100-meter dash for the school’s track team. There’s plenty of opportunity for Rhodes to jell quickly with quarterback Kevin Jennings considering SMU’s three leading receivers from last season are all gone.
What to expect: Rhodes wasn’t on campus this spring, but it’s going to be hard to keep his rare blend of size and speed off the field. SMU’s supporting cast around him lacks firepower, which is why Rhodes can become the immediate go-to threat, with freshman ESPN 300 wide receiver Daylon Singleton a close second. While it’s a significant jump in competition from junior college to the ACC, Rhodes has the explosiveness and good ball skills to be a playmaker both underneath with yards after the catch as well as a downfield target. He also has great skills in the return game.
Top newcomer: Edge David Bailey (Transferred from Stanford)
Why: Bailey is the jewel of one of the nation’s most impressive transfer classes. The edge defender entered the portal after Stanford fired Troy Taylor in late March and had no shortage of suitors, ranking as the second-best prospect available this spring. The former four-star California native was a disruptive presence almost as soon as he stepped foot on campus in Stanford. He tallied 14.5 career sacks, including seven in 2024, as well as 22.5 career tackles for loss.
What to expect: One of the best front sevens in college football. The Red Raiders made a handful of notable additions, including bringing in another edge rusher in Romello Height (Georgia Tech), but Bailey is a cut above. He’s not the biggest at 6-foot-3, 250 pounds, but he’s plenty fast and explosive. He is similar to Abdul Carter, the No. 3 pick in this year’s NFL draft. Bailey is a strong, tightly wound burst of speed and power off the edge and can really do it as an every-down defender. He’s a stout and disruptive early-down run defender, and his ability to come off the corner to close on quarterbacks is as good as anyone in college football.
Top newcomer: QB Fernando Mendoza (Transferred from Cal)
Why: Mendoza is one of the most significant additions across the country after ranking fifth in ESPN’s transfer rankings. He arrives in Bloomington with much more fanfare than Kurtis Rourke a year ago, but he’ll have a high bar to clear. Rourke threw for 3,042 yards and 29 touchdowns to just five interceptions after transferring from Ohio, and guided Indiana to an unexpected playoff appearance. Mendoza must now acclimate to Curt Cignetti’s offense and help the Hoosiers navigate the Big Ten with a much bigger target on their back.
What to expect: Mendoza should surpass Rourke’s production and make Indiana a serious contender again. Originally committed to Yale before landing at Cal, Mendoza has the football aptitude to thrive in this situation. He was quietly one of the ACC’s better quarterbacks last year, completing nearly 69% of his passes with a 16-to-6 touchdown-to-interception ratio. He will have much better protection up front than he had at Cal and more explosive weapons at his disposal. When given time, he can make all the throws and is arguably more accurate with a quicker release than Rourke. Mendoza has great zip on the ball but isn’t all flash. He will keep his eyes downfield, take a hit when needed and is ultracompetitive. He should flourish in this Hoosiers offense and become a potential first-round pick.
Top newcomer: WR Jaron Tibbs (Transferred from Purdue)
Why: Kansas State hit the portal hard to reshape its receiver room and capitalize on its window with dynamic dual-threat quarterback Avery Johnson. Tibbs’ production last season of 25 catches for 305 yards and two touchdowns doesn’t stand out, but he actually led Purdue’s offense in receptions by a wideout. At 6-foot-3, 210 pounds, Tibbs brings great size and an intriguing multisport background. He’s the all-time leading receiver at Indiana’s Cathedral High School — the alma mater of Commanders receiver Terry McLaurin — with 2,479 yards and was also a dynamic basketball player.
What to expect: Tibbs will compete for a significant share of targets early on. He had an impressive spring showing in which his polished skill set helped him gel nicely with Johnson. He has a big frame to win positioning on contested balls and strong hands with a large catch radius. Tibbs is not an explosive chain-mover with the ball in his hands, but he’s a very reliable outside target who can work the middle of the field and become that big conversion target for Johnson. Kansas State returns leading receiver Jayce Brown, but Tibbs and fellow transfers Jerand Bradley (Boston College) and Caleb Medford (TCU) will round out the revamped passing attack.
Top newcomer: WR Dallas Wilson (No. 43 in the ESPN 300)
Why: Florida’s first order of business is getting quarterback DJ Lagway healthy after he missed time this spring with a shoulder ailment. Next? Identifying the right weapons to put around its star quarterback. The Gators brought in several new pass catchers, including potential breakouts in freshman Vernell Brown III and transfer J. Michael Sturdivant, but Wilson has a chance to emerge as the biggest hit of them all. The 6-foot-4 Tampa native nearly made it to Oregon before requesting a release to return home to Florida.
What to expect: Big production from the true freshman. Wilson amassed nearly 2,500 receiving yards as a high schooler and didn’t wait long to make a resounding first impression, catching 10 passes for 195 yards and two scores in Florida’s spring game with Louisville transfer quarterback Harrison Bailey at the helm. He’s a matchup nightmare with his size and speed combination and he’s ahead of the curve in regard to the understanding of route concepts. He has impressive speed with a 6-foot-4, 190-pound frame, running in the 4.5s in high school. Wilson will team up with Brown, who was slotted one step ahead of him in the ESPN 300 wide receiver rankings, along with Sturdivant to turn an offseason weakness into a strength.
Top newcomer: Bryce Underwood (No. 1 in the ESPN 300)
Why: After taking a massive step back at quarterback in 2024 following J.J. McCarthy’s departure for the NFL, Michigan went all-in on the NIL front to flip Underwood from LSU. He arrives in Ann Arbor as the school’s most anticipated quarterback recruit since at least Drew Henson — if not ever — and is only the fourth five-star to end up at Michigan since 2006, per ESPN’s rankings. Underwood was a two-time Gatorade Player of the Year winner in Michigan and won 50 games as a high schooler, totaling nearly 13,000 all-purpose yards and 179 touchdowns. Michigan desperately needs quarterback help after producing the No. 131 passing offense in 2024.
What to expect: Sherrone Moore brought in Fresno State transfer Mikey Keene, but Underwood is clearly the long-term answer at quarterback, and he should win the job this season and improve steadily as it progresses. The 6-foot-4, 208-pounder has exceptional arm talent to attack the intermediate and deep passing levels with enough mobility to extend plays and keep defenses honest. He’s great when making off-platform throws with instincts and an overall game that reminds us of Trevor Lawrence. Underwood didn’t light up spring ball, but he was solid in his first taste of college, especially considering he handled the workload with Keene sidelined because of injury. There will be growing pains, but Underwood should only get better with more time, especially if he can rely on a strong supporting cast while settling in early.
Top newcomer: CB Xavier Lucas (Transferred from Wisconsin)
Why: While QB Carson Beck is the biggest name, he was also limited in spring practice as he returns from elbow surgery. Lucas, meanwhile, could emerge as a true No. 1 corner across from breakout freshman OJ Frederique Jr. and create a much-improved tandem on the boundaries for a Hurricanes secondary that struggled in 2024. A Florida native, Lucas made 18 tackles, an interception and a sack over 203 snaps as a freshman at Wisconsin. His arrival in Coral Gables caused a stir after he transferred to Miami despite Wisconsin refusing to enter his name in the portal, but he enrolled this spring and quickly made a strong impression on Miami’s coaching staff.
What to expect: Lucas will be the leader of a revamped secondary and make plays throughout the backend and perimeter. The Hurricanes brought in five transfers who could push for playing time, but Lucas has the best ceiling, scheme versatility and overall skill set. He has a supreme blend of size, length and recovery burst as a shutdown corner. He will also use that size at 6-foot-2, 198 pounds to set edge on run support. He has the physical makeup to be an all-conference-type safety as well. Lucas also has a high football IQ when it comes to reading route concepts and playing with awareness. This will allow the Canes to deploy him at both the boundary and field corner position, which adds extreme value.
Top newcomer: QB Miller Moss (Transferred from USC)
Why: In adding Moss, Jeff Brohm is hoping to go 3-for-3 unlocking transfer quarterbacks following the success of Tyler Shough and Jack Plummer. Ironically, Moss lit up Louisville in his first career start, throwing for 372 yards and six touchdowns in the 2023 Holiday Bowl after previously backing up Caleb Williams at USC. Moss won the Trojans’ starting job in 2024 and was steady albeit unspectacular, throwing for 2,555 yards and 18 touchdowns to nine interceptions over nine games with a 64.4% completion rate before losing the starting job. Moss walks into a favorable situation. Louisville has spent parts of each of the past two seasons ranked among college football’s top 25 and returns a strong supporting cast, including wide receiver Caullin Lacy and breakout freshman running back Isaac Brown.
What to expect: Brohm should bring out the best in the former high school All-American who has struggled to take his game to the next level. Moss is smart and battle-tested, making him an ideal candidate for this pro-style offense. Louisville will rely on him to make smart decisions distributing the football to a host of weapons. He has an opportunity to put up big numbers in Brohm’s passing attack, which pushes the ball vertically, but he won’t bear all the pressure thanks to a formidable rushing attacking to complement the passing game. Moss should have better overall balance than he had at USC.
Top newcomer: WR KC Concepcion (Transferred from NC State)
Why: On the surface, the pairing of Concepcion and Texas A&M looks like a perfect match. Concepcion ranked No. 17 on ESPN’s transfer rankings and is one of the best returning receivers in the country. He hit the market in the hopes of finding an offense that could help his production trend back toward his freshman output in 2023, when he won ACC Rookie of the Year after catching 71 passes for 839 yards. The Aggies, meanwhile, desperately coveted a lead receiver for quarterback Marcel Reed to help reboot one of the SEC’s weakest passing attacks. Concepcion, Mario Craver (Mississippi State) and Jonah Wilson (Houston) are all part of the solution for Mike Elko in 2025.
What to expect: Concepcion’s production to resemble 2023. His experience and work ethic already showed up this spring. He’s a polished route runner and an elusive threat with the ball in his hands. Concepcion is quick to snatch passes and transition up the seam for big gainers. He’s difficult for defensive backs to mirror in off-coverage. Concepcion has the versatile skill set to create mismatches and all-purpose yards from different alignments in this Aggies offense. He’s poised for a very successful season as a focal point out of the slot.
Top newcomer: DE Da’Shawn Womack (Transferred from LSU)
Why: Ole Miss had the fourth-worst pass defense in the SEC last season and overhauled its secondary via the portal in the offseason. But sometimes the best way to help a leaky pass defense is to beef up the pass rush. Womack has the tools to regularly live in opposing backfields, even if the one-time five-star recruit didn’t get that sort of opportunity over two years as a part-time player at LSU, where he had 23 tackles and 2.5 sacks as an underclassman. Womack has a much clearer pathway to regular playing time in Pete Golding’s scheme under the tutelage of Randall Joyner at Ole Miss in 2025.
What to expect: Womack should reach double-digit sacks in his first season in Oxford. Those are bold expectations, but we feel Womack still has untapped potential and is ready for a breakout season. At 6-foot-4 and 255 pounds in high school, he still ran a 4.7 laser-verified 40-yard dash and had a 30-inch vertical. Womack has kept the speed and only gotten bigger since getting to college. He showed flashes of his explosive athleticism and created good pressure when given the opportunity in Baton Rouge. Look for him to play a role similar to Princely Umanmielen (6-foot-4, 244 pounds, 4.72 40) as they possess similar measurables with that impressive burst, stride and bend off the corner.
Top newcomer: QB John Mateer (Transferred from Washington State)
Why: Oklahoma’s first foray into the SEC fell flat because five-star quarterback Jackson Arnold and the Sooners’ offense averaged just 24.0 points per game, their worst scoring average since 1998. Arnold then transferred to Auburn, so Mateer fills a massive need for Brent Venables at his most important position. The dual-threat quarterback was responsible for 3,965 total yards leading Washington State’s offense last year, and his 44 combined touchdowns tied with Cam Ward for most in the country. Mateer won’t have any trouble getting up to speed either, as he followed his offensive coordinator at Washington State, Ben Arbuckle, on the same path to Norman.
What to expect: Mateer will light up SEC scoreboards in 2025 and Oklahoma should bounce back. With weapons around him at wide receiver and a healthy Jaydn Ott to relieve some early-down pressure in the backfield, the offense should come out of the gate fast, particularly with Mateer’s confidence and familiarity with the system. He’s a quick-release rhythm passer who will spread the ball out decisively and accurately underneath and win on his strikes downfield. Mateer can run, too, which will complement this version of the Air Raid pass-heavy offense. The Sooners have much more depth up front to keep him upright, but Mateer will show more natural playmaking ability to extend plays and get out of trouble than Arnold did a season ago.
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