Stampeding Through the 2025 USF Football Roster: #18 DE Levi Smiley
USF fans will be very smiley indeed if today's player has a big season.
PLAYER: Levi Smiley
POSITION: Defensive end
YEAR: Redshirt freshman
HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6'4", 268 lbs.
HOW DID HE GET HERE? Smiley was a surprise addition to the 2024 recruiting class at the buzzer. He played his high school ball in Purcell Marian in Cincinnati, where he played on both sides of the ball (defensive lineman and tight end). He also played basketball and baseball, giving him one of the most impressive high school letter collections imaginable. His offer list consisted of Akron and Kent State before USF swooped in a few weeks before early signing day, and Smiley committed shortly thereafter. The recruiting services saw him as a mid-three-star recruit.
HOW WAS HIS 2024 SEASON? Smiley took a redshirt season and appeared in three games, mostly in late-game duties. He appeared in the non-conference portion of the schedule against Bethune-Cookman and Southern Miss, and saw some time at the end of the FAU game as well. He didn’t record any stats on the season.
WHAT SHOULD WE EXPECT IN 2025? Given USF’s influx of transfer defensive linemen this offseason, I think we may have to wait a bit longer before we see Smiley break into the two-deep. One item of note: though he’s listed as a defensive end on the online roster (you can see our very quick overview of USF’s base defensive positions here), USF used him all across the line in his limited snaps in 2024 - at defensive end, B-backer, and even a little defensive tackle.
BONUS RANKING OF FAMOUS SMILEYS:
- Levi
- Guy