Small Making Big Impact in TCU Secondary
9/11/2018 5:09:00 PM | Football
By Jay Hinton
TCU Athletics Communications
FORT WORTH, Texas – When free safety Niko Small came to TCU in 2015, he was a heavily decorated defensive back out of neighboring Arlington Bowie High School.
As a senior, he was the Texas 6A Defensive Player of the Year while sharing District 4-6A MVP honors, and although he played special teams in his freshman year for the Horned Frogs, it was a time for him to mature as a person and a player.
"It was a long road, but it was what I needed to grow. Starting on special teams humbled me," the 5-foot-10, 183-pound senior said. "Coming from high school, everyone feels like they are that guy, and it really humbles you to let you know that you have to find a role on the team and do it to the best of your ability."
Small had just four tackles that year in 12 games, but he kept an eye on the veteran defensive backs playing ahead of him to hone his game and learn to become a leader.
"I had a lot of great mentors around me – Derrick Kindred, Nick Orr – so it made the progression a little easier," Small said. "As far as taking on the responsibilities of a free safety, I have to be a field general out there, and that came with time and reps."
In his sophomore season, he played in 13 games while starting 12. He recorded 83 total tackles with 56 solo stops and 1.5 tackles for loss. He also had two interceptions while leading the team with nine pass breakups. He also had a career-high 11 stops against No. 21 Oklahoma in Week 5.
"That was my first time having more than 10 tackles and some PBUs, and I felt it was the first big game that I played in where everybody was focused on that game, and I went out there and didn't feel too jittery or have too much anxiety," he said. "I felt like I needed to do my job, and once I did that I felt that I knew what I was doing."
Last year, he played in 12 games with 11 starts, but he missed the final two games of the regular season. He posted 43 tackles, including 22 solo stops and a tackle for loss. He also tied for third on the team in pass breakups with five.
Each time he takes the field, he calls upon the things he learned from the veterans and hopes to lead by example as they did.
"They led that path for me so I could see what direction I needed to take," he said. "I try to be a leader as much as I can and when guys are down, I try to pick them up, and when they are up, I try to keep them up. I take that approach to it."
Through his first two games in his final campaign, he has eight tackles, including five solo, and two pass breakups. He is also the second on the active leader list in career starts with 25 and second on the active tackle list with 141.
"I am truly grateful that the coaches believe in me and to put me on the field to start that many games," he said. "Having my teammates trust me and want to play with me, it's an ultimate blessing."
TCU Athletics Communications
FORT WORTH, Texas – When free safety Niko Small came to TCU in 2015, he was a heavily decorated defensive back out of neighboring Arlington Bowie High School.
As a senior, he was the Texas 6A Defensive Player of the Year while sharing District 4-6A MVP honors, and although he played special teams in his freshman year for the Horned Frogs, it was a time for him to mature as a person and a player.
"It was a long road, but it was what I needed to grow. Starting on special teams humbled me," the 5-foot-10, 183-pound senior said. "Coming from high school, everyone feels like they are that guy, and it really humbles you to let you know that you have to find a role on the team and do it to the best of your ability."
Small had just four tackles that year in 12 games, but he kept an eye on the veteran defensive backs playing ahead of him to hone his game and learn to become a leader.
"I had a lot of great mentors around me – Derrick Kindred, Nick Orr – so it made the progression a little easier," Small said. "As far as taking on the responsibilities of a free safety, I have to be a field general out there, and that came with time and reps."
In his sophomore season, he played in 13 games while starting 12. He recorded 83 total tackles with 56 solo stops and 1.5 tackles for loss. He also had two interceptions while leading the team with nine pass breakups. He also had a career-high 11 stops against No. 21 Oklahoma in Week 5.
"That was my first time having more than 10 tackles and some PBUs, and I felt it was the first big game that I played in where everybody was focused on that game, and I went out there and didn't feel too jittery or have too much anxiety," he said. "I felt like I needed to do my job, and once I did that I felt that I knew what I was doing."
Last year, he played in 12 games with 11 starts, but he missed the final two games of the regular season. He posted 43 tackles, including 22 solo stops and a tackle for loss. He also tied for third on the team in pass breakups with five.
Each time he takes the field, he calls upon the things he learned from the veterans and hopes to lead by example as they did.
"They led that path for me so I could see what direction I needed to take," he said. "I try to be a leader as much as I can and when guys are down, I try to pick them up, and when they are up, I try to keep them up. I take that approach to it."
Through his first two games in his final campaign, he has eight tackles, including five solo, and two pass breakups. He is also the second on the active leader list in career starts with 25 and second on the active tackle list with 141.
"I am truly grateful that the coaches believe in me and to put me on the field to start that many games," he said. "Having my teammates trust me and want to play with me, it's an ultimate blessing."
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