Why Avery Smith is forcing his way onto the Chargers' 53-man roster

As the August 30 roster deadline nears, undrafted free agent cornerback Avery Smith is inching closer to making the Chargers' final 53-man roster. Despite facing tough competition in a crowded position group, Smith has emerged as one of the preseason's most impressive standouts. During a recent training camp practice, he made headlines by breaking up a pass from QB Justin Herbert and recording an interception against TE DJ Uiagalelei.

This momentum carried over into the Bolts' preseason opener against the Texans, where Smith's coverage skills shone after completely shadowing receiver Lewis Bond and breaking up a crucial third-down pass. Later, he stuffed a fourth-down run for a turnover on downs. Given his recent performance, Smith is a strong contender to secure a spot on the 53-man roster.

His sudden rise echoes that of last season's successful UDFA Nikko Reed. Although Smith is slightly undersized at 5-foot-10, his instincts, solid collegiate production (28 passes defended over his last two seasons), and extensive special teams experience give him a competitive edge. By consistently making game-changing plays against first-team offenses during preseason games, Smith is forcing the Chargers' management to make a difficult decision.

He stands as a legitimate challenger for one of the fifth corner positions behind Donte Jackson, Cam Hart, Tarheeb Still, and Deane Leonard. This story was originally published on Chargers Wire: Why Avery Smith is forcing his way onto the Chargers 53-man roster.