Former South Carolina defensive back DQ Smith is headed to Virginia Tech for one more college season, giving him a fifth year after a court ruling opened the door for players in his situation.
247Sports reported Tuesday that Smith will play the 2026 season with the ACC program after spending four years with the Gamecocks. He went undrafted in the 2026 NFL Draft and reportedly drew several NFL mini camp invitations, which in most cases would have signaled the end of his college eligibility.
Instead, Smith is among a group of athletes who graduated before the NCAA’s new 5-in-5 eligibility rules took effect and are now seeking another year. He is eligible for 2026 because of an injunction granted in a Louisiana court case on Aug.
- Smith reportedly entered the transfer portal on Aug.
The legal picture is still unsettled. Eligibility questions for Smith and other athletes in the same fight remain murky, with some players being ruled eligible at the state level while the NCAA continues to challenge the cases in state and federal court. For now, though, Smith is eligible.
A Columbia native, Smith was a steady presence for South Carolina throughout his career. He played in 48 games, started 45 of them and finished with 228 tackles, five interceptions and 11 pass breakups.
South Carolina coach Shane Beamer recently spoke about Smith’s situation and said the staff decided not to pursue bringing him back to Columbia, even though defensive back Ethan Johnson, who came from App State, joined the Gamecocks in a similar circumstance.
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