Shay Smith holds the MLB · Backup spot in UTEP Miners’s linebacker room. Where he sits among the room’s front-line roles:

Shay Smith logged a 5.3% overall usage rate in 2025.

Shay Smith is a 6'2", 215-pound linebacker from El Paso, TX, where he attended Franklin HS and was named District 1-6A Offensive Athlete of the Year in 2023. A three-star recruit, Smith appeared in four games as a freshman in 2024, completing 3-of-3 passes for 20 yards and scoring a rushing touchdown. In 2025, he played in 10 games as a redshirt freshman, primarily at backup quarterback. He recorded 3-of-8 passing for 14 yards, rushed 13 times for 30 yards and one touchdown, including a score at #7 Texas. Smith returns to the roster for the 2026 season.

UTEP2024 — present