Breaking: Tennessee OL Trey Smith selected in 2021 NFL Draft
It’s no secret that former Vols offensive lineman Trey Smith has one of the best comeback stories in all of sports.
After overcoming the loss of his mother and fighting through blood clots to play at Tennessee, Smith built himself into a fan favorite on and off the field.
Now, his life officially has another chapter.
Smith was selected with the 226th pick in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs.
The VFL’s draft stock took a hard (and unexpected) fall this weekend, but a tweet from Friday suggests he won’t forget the teams who passed on him.
Smith was also considered a possible top pick last year, but he adopted a quote from Peyton Manning in announcing his return to Rocky Top.
“I’ve made up my mind, and I don’t expect to ever look back,” Smith said. “I’m going to stay home at the University of Tennessee.”
The Jackson native racked up quite a list of accolades in Knoxville. You can see all the honors below, courtesy of UTSports.com.
2021 Tennessee Torchbearer Award
2021 NFL Combine Invitee
2021 Senior Bowl Invitee
2020 Second-Team All-American (AFCA, FWAA, Phil Steele)
2020 All-SEC First Team (Coaches, Phil Steele)
2020 SEC Community Service Team
2020 Senior CLASS Award Candidate
2020 Fritz Pollard Trophy Winner
2020 Tennessee Sports HOF Co-Amateur Athlete of the Year
2020 Pat Summitt Ignite Greatness Award Winner
2019 Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Winner
2019 All-SEC First Team (AP & Coaches)
2019 All-SEC Second Team (PFF)
2019 Fall SEC Academic Honor Roll
SEC Co-Offensive Lineman of the Week (10/14/19)
PFF College SEC Offensive Team of the Week (10/14/19)
2018 SEC Community Service Team
2017-18 VOLeaders Academy
2017 Freshman All-American (FWAA, 247Sports)
2017 All-SEC Second Team (Coaches, Phil Steele)
2017 Freshman All-SEC (Coaches)
Moreover, you can also find Smith’s NFL evaluation below, courtesy of our friends at Sports Illustrated’s NFL Draft Bible.
“He played some tackle as a sophomore, but make no mistake about it, Smith is a potentially dominant fixture on the interior. He uses every inch of his frame covering ground, showing well when moving laterally and to the second level. For a man 331 pounds, Smith is every bit the mauler in the run game that you would envision. There is no lack of raw power. The surprising part is just how fluid of an athlete he is for a man his size. Whether it is as a pass blocker or in the run game, Smith has zero issues redirecting with proper balance and flexibility. He is a sure bet on the field. The big question for him will be the medicals.”
