Michael Smith, A Wide Receiver In A TE's Body
Tight end Michael Smith is the future of the position. Plain and simple, teams want tight ends that can play detached from the line of scrimmage and play in space.
The Calvary Day School product is only a high school junior, yet makes eye-popping plays. He holds numerous offers and has narrowed his recruitment to eight prospective schools.
South Carolina is firmly in the mix for his services. It will be interesting to see how the hire of new offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains affects things; Loggains coached tight ends at Arkansas before taking the job with Carolina.
Nonetheless, Smith is a fantastic prospect that fits where the program wants to move at the position. Tight ends have traditionally been considered an extra blocker, someone who can occasionally make plays but won't be a cog in your offense.
In the modern game, the tight end can be the No. 1 option for a team. Smith stands 6-4 and 225 lbs. The eye test tells you those measurements are accurate.
He carries the weight well, moving in compact strides. Smith's lower half never looks out-of-tune; he can take long strides or make a quick cut in space if necessary. He runs a legitimate 4.5-second forty-yard dash and routinely glides by defenders.
Smith can jump out of the gym. His quarterback at Calvary Day knew this and astutely tossed Smith an endless stream of 50/50 balls in the red zone. He would go over the top of defenders to secure the catch, making athletic marvels look easy.
The formational versatility is intriguing. Smith plays in-line tight end and can do it with his hand in the dirt or a squat. Furthermore, he can play in the slot or as an outside receiver in select scenarios.
Calvary Day used him in various patterns, playing "Where's Waldo?" with defenses. His range of positions allows them to scheme and layer concepts you couldn't do with a lumbering tight end over the middle.
Head coach Shane Beamer and company have made this one a priority. They envision him becoming an impact player early, someone who can change the dimensions of opposing linebacker play to open up downfield windows for the quarterback.
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