Tennessee football: 10 Vols most likely to gain postseason recognition for 2018

LEXINGTON, KY - OCTOBER 28: Ty Chandler #3 of the Tennessee Volunteers runs with the ball against the Kentucky Wildcats at Commonwealth Stadium on October 28, 2017 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
LEXINGTON, KY - OCTOBER 28: Ty Chandler #3 of the Tennessee Volunteers runs with the ball against the Kentucky Wildcats at Commonwealth Stadium on October 28, 2017 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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Photo by Elsa/Getty Images
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The one guy who is getting any preseason recognition for Tennessee football in a legitimate way and got any postseason recognition last year, Trey Smith is definitely a player who has a great chance to win a postseason award. As a freshman offensive lineman, the guy became a staple on the line for the Vols and one of the few reliable players.

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Now, entering his sophomore season, he figures to take another step. Smith has a few questions since he was held out of spring ball and couldn’t do contact drills until the middle of fall camp due to blood clots in his lungs. However, he was able to stay in shape throughout the summer. So he should be good to go.

We already talked about the Vols’ situation at offensive line on our slide about Brandon Kennedy. Well, Smith is actually a 100 percent sure bet to start up front, which Kennedy is not. That combined with his talent and production alone is why he is on this list. We believe in him performing that much.

Still, as we mentioned, it has to help him that the Vols are likely to find guys who can play up front at a high level. As a guy who is already on the 2018 Outland Trophy Watch List, Smith will likely stay on the inside. And while there, he has a great chance to standout once again. At this point, just the name recognition alone will go a long way towards helping him win a postseason award.