Tennessee football: Trey Smith falls to late second round of new mock draft
It’s no secret that Trey Smith is almost certainly going to be the first Tennessee football player selected in the 2021 NFL Draft. Here’s a guy who was a projected first-rounder before last season began and may have gone in the first round of the 2020 draft.
However, in-season struggles by the Vols specifically, having nothing to do with Smith, and a few other factors have slightly hurt his draft stock. Now, it may be all he can wish for to not fall to the third round of the draft.
Vinnie Iyer of Sporting News has Smith going 61st overall in the draft to the Buffalo Bills. With 64 picks in the first two rounds, that’s barely staying in that category. Here’s what Iyer said about the four-year starter for Tennessee football.
"The Bills need to get better with their traditional running game and Smith can offer strong inside support there."
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Standing at 6’5″ 330 pounds, it’s pretty clear that teams looking for a great interior run game will be the best spots for Smith to land. On that front, even if he does fall, it’s true that Buffalo would be a great situation for him.
We can confidently state, though, that he’s being overlooked if he falls that far. Yes, Smith had his blood clot issue, but the medical plan put into place for him has clearly worked, so that shouldn’t be a fear for anybody.
Meanwhile, production matters. Smith was a three-time first team All-SEC guard, and he also demonstrated versatility by being able to play left tackle in 2018. He would have earned All-SEC there as well had blood clots not shortened his season. Add in the fact that he earned All-SEC playing in the spread and pro-style, and he can truly do it all up front.
Then there are the leadership intangibles. Smith is one of the greatest people out there and was one of the school’s best stories, forgoing a chance to be a first-round pick last year for another season on Rocky Top all so he could fulfill his late mother’s wish that he graduate.
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Given everything he did for Tennessee football, Smith is clearly a guy any franchise will fall in love with. As a result, the Jackson, Tenn. native will be one of the biggest steals of the draft if, as is now projected, he goes outside of the first round.