2025 NFL Draft Prospect Interview: Jelijah Morris-Smith, DB, West Liberty University

• Name: Jelijah Morris-Smith
• Position: DB
• College: West Liberty University
• Height: 5’11”
• Weight: 175 lbs
• X (Twitter): @imjustlijah

What made you decide you wanted to be a football player?

Ever since I was younger, I’ve always wanted to play football, however, my circumstances with my parents working a lot at my young age stopped me from growing up playing the sport. I grew up playing outside a lot but never played any organized sports until middle school. Middle school came around and I ended up going the basketball route because of a coach in my gym class that wanted me on his AAU team. Fast forward to high school, I continued playing basketball all four years and ultimately would choose to play football my senior year of high school because of a change in the football programs coaching staff as well as my old head coach Jawarren Blair speaking with me about coming out to play.

What are your favorite moments from your football life?

My favorite moments from my football life were times like team dinner in high school, bus rides, getting a pick six my very first game of playing football, 7v7 with Piedmont select, talking to coaches and visiting programs during the recruiting process both times, getting field work in and seeing progress day by day in both junior college and by myself at home, going to football camps(something I regret not doing sooner), early morning practices in junior college, learning new things every week at West Liberty, the adrenaline and excitement on kickoff, winning my first division 2 college game against Concord University, setting the tone with a big hit and winning by a lot against down the hill rivals Wheeling University my last game as a junior, every second of spring ball, speaking and working out with the Detroit Lions and Philadelphia Eagles, fall camp of 2024, and this years homecoming game against West Virginia Wesleyan.

What are you looking to achieve as a football player going forward?

Going forward I want to continue to learn and develop as a player as I know there is a lot of football knowledge and tips to be discovered. I also want to one day leave the playing field knowing that it was the best football I could’ve played all year.

If you could hang out with any football player past or present for a day, who and why?

If I could hang with any football player past or present, I’d definitely hang with Jaycee Horn. I’ve been watching and studying Jaycees’ tape since I started playing cornerback and he’s had that field general swag and has been shut down savvy since his time at South Carolina. I also like his technique, play on the ball, aggressiveness, speed, and how smooth his game is whether in press or zone coverage.

Which one of your family members inspires you the most and why?

A family member that inspires me the most is my mom. In times of adversity she’s always prevailed and never let her circumstances overcome her. That’s a trait that I feel I picked up on from her.

What is your favorite defensive scheme and why?

My favorite defensive scheme is the 4-3 because it allows blitz and pressure on the quarterback, possibly forcing disruption on the timing of the ball in the air which can lead to a lot more plays on the ball in the secondary.

What should we know about Jelijah Morris-Smith the person?

What you should know about me as a person is that I’m never comfortable. I always want better and will work to get such. I am very self aware and always honest with myself. And that I’m also big on genuineness; rather it’s a relationship or some form of an act, the majority of what I do comes from the heart with nothing other than pure intent. 

What stands out about your film the most?

What stands out about my film the most is the progression over time, in every single tape from senior year/first year of football in high school to my senior year in college, I never came back the same player whether it was technique or helping in the run game. Every off season I worked and spent time watching different players with around the same body frame at my position and analyzing my film from the past year so I could adjust. I also picked up tips from my different position coaches at school or camps that helped my game as well.

How do you handle challenges both in life and on the football field?

When I handle challenges in life or the field, I try to view them from different perspectives that way I can better navigate solving them. I do tend to distance myself depending on the problem as I figured isolation better helps and then come back with results.

What would a team get in a player like you?

A team would get someone who’s a workaholic, technically sound, athletic, confident, and poised. I’m also big on the team, no matter if I’m doing well or if others are doing better, I’ll always make sure I’m checking myself before I check anyone else and earn my respect.

What do you love the most about the game of football?

What I love the most about the game is how complex it is. I learned a lot from this game and my position so far but I know I haven’t even scratched the surface of knowledge involved in playing high level football yet. This drives me to keep going as I’ve learned to fall in love with the process.

Who is the most underrated player you’ve played with and why?

The most underrated player I’ve played with would be a former teammate at Louisburg College in 2020-2022 named Aaron Gamble. Aaron was one of the best technicians at the cornerback position that I’ve witnessed, and he was a player who helped me develop tremendously in the off season during my junior college time. He had a wide amount of football knowledge and even though he cut his career short at Fayetteville State University I think he could’ve gone very far had he continued.