Joquez Smith commits to Temple

Temple received a verbal commitment from three-star Class of 2023 running back Joquez Smith Friday. Smith was one of four recruits to visit Temple in early June. Two of those four, wide receiver Richard Dandridge and quarterback Tyler Douglas, have also committed to Temple.

The 5-foot-8, 190-pound Smith had offers from schools like Maryland, West Virginia, Coastal Carolina, USF and Cincinnati during his recruitment. Smith tallied 1,976 rushing yards and 29 touchdowns on 8.4 yards per carry en route to a 15-0 season for Jesuit High School in Tampa.

Smith is currently at 3,600 yards and 56 touchdowns for his high school career.

Smith is Temple’s 11th verbal commit in the 2023 class and the second running back to commit to the Owls, along with Harrisburg High School’s Kyle Williams. Williams told OwlScoop.com last month that Temple head coach Stan Drayton and running backs coach Preston Brown told him they planned to bring in two running backs, so it’s possible that the Owls could be full at that spot and no longer be in the mix for Jamari Ford from Miami’s Northwestern High School.

Last week, Ford said Temple was a finalist in his recruitment, along with Jackson State and Western Kentucky.

In his first full recruiting cycle as Temple's head coach, Drayton and his staff have enjoyed some early success recruiting in Florida. Smith is one of four verbals from the Sunshine State, along with Dandridge, Central Catholic (Clearwater) offensive lineman Kevin Terry and Kaleb Barnett, who plays at Miami's Jackson High School.