Carolina Panthers · CB RoomCB
#26 Chau Smith-Wade
Exp 2 yrs NFLAge 24Ht / Wt 5'11" · 176 lbCollege Washington State
Depth-chart placement
Current role
NB1Placement
StarterRoom
CornerbackExperience
YR 3Last change
Updated 2026-07-29CB room context
View full depth chart →Chau Smith-Wade holds the NB · Starter spot in Carolina Panthers’s cornerback room. Where he sits among the room’s front-line roles:
Chau Smith-Wade played 17 games in 2025 with a 63% snap share.
Production
2025 seasonLatest season · 2025
1
INT
2
Passes defended
Background & career
Chau Smith-Wade is a 24-year-old cornerback for the Carolina Panthers, standing 5'11" and weighing 176 pounds. The Panthers selected him in the fifth round (157th overall) of the 2024 NFL Draft out of Washington State. Smith-Wade has two years of professional experience and carries a four-year contract with Carolina. In 2025, he recorded one interception and two passes defended.
Washington State2020 – 2023Panthers2024 — present