Hogs’ Nick Smith an All-American Before Playing First Game

Razorbacks freshman guard makes second team on CBS preseason list

Author:
allHOGS Staff
Publish date:
Oct 20, 2022 11:25 PM EDT

In this story:

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas freshman Nick Smith hasn't played a game in college yet, but is already an All-American.

It may be the first time in school history a player was named an All-American before stepping on the floor in a college game.

He is one of only two SEC players named to the CBS Sports All-American team Thursday along with Kentucky's Oscar Tshiebwe, who was named to the first team.

Nick Smith-Red-White — Arkansas Razorbacks guard Nick Smith looks inside to make a pass in the Red-White game at Barnhill Arena on Sunday, Oct. 16, 2022, in Fayetteville, Ark. (Andy Hodges / allHOGS Images)

Here's a snippet of what CBS Sports' Kyle Boone said about Smith:

"Arkansas runs one of the most guard-friendly systems in the country with Eric Musselman, and Smith, the No. 1 recruit in the 2022 cycle, steps into arguably the biggest opportunity for any freshman in the sport."

Smith, a Jacksonville native who played his senior year at North Little Rock, is one of 11 newcomers to the Razorbacks this year and that group is drawing a lot of respect from media across the country.

Expectations among the fans is also the highest it's been in nearly three decades.

Smith is a big part of that.

"He is used to playing with expectations throughout his high school career," Hogs coach Eric Musselman said at SEC Media Days in Birmingham on Wednesday afternoon. "He is a player that kind of moves on the floor effortlessly almost like he is on skates. He is cosmetically pleasing to watch offensively with the way that he can find seams in the defense, and he is a really good shooter as well."

The Hogs play their first exhibition game against Rogers State at Bud Walton Arena on Monday at a 7 p.m.