Former Tennessee football star Trey Smith quickly became a fan favorite in 2017 when he committed to Tennessee over Alabama, but it didn't take long for his popularity to grow once he arrived on campus.
Smith was one of the best players to emerge from the Butch Jones era and has continued his success in the NFL. He was drafted in the sixth round with the No. 226 draft pick by the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2021 NFL Draft.
He had a lot of doubters heading into the NFL Draft, including the Chiefs. Smith had first round potential but fell to the sixth round after struggling with blood clots at Tennessee.
Smith pushed through the health concerns, finished his college career, and has developed into one of the best interior offensive linemen in the league, despite the doubts he had going into the NFL.
Since his arrival as a rookie, he became a standout player in the trenches for the Chiefs. He quickly earned a rotational spot at guard and soon after became a mainstay protecting the most valuable quarterback in the NFL.
Vol Nation and Chiefs Kingdom have long recognized his value, even if he has flown under the radar of most NFL franchises. That's why the Chiefs hit Smith with a $23.4 million franchise tag for the 2025 season.
It appears Smith is no longer flying under the radar, based on a recent rankings released by ESPN. Executives, coaches, and scouts ranked the top interior offensive linemen in the NFL, and Smith was near the top.
Fellow Chiefs teammate Creed Humphrey ranks No. 1 on the list. The Chiefs' center has been dominant in recent years and is receiving well-deserved recognition after being ranked No. 7 last season.
Dallas Cowboys Guard Tyler Smith and Indianapolis Colts guard Quenton Nelson are also ahead of Smith as he comes in at No. 4 on the list after being ranked No. 9 last year.
"Power, brute strength, physicality — he's a people-mover and a people-stopper," an AFC executive said in the ESPN article.
"Smith was a first-round talent in 2021 but fell to the sixth round as some teams were not comfortable with his medical profile due to a heart condition detected while at Tennessee," ESPN's Jeremy Fowler writes. "He has overcome that to become a premier player.
"Smith's 75.1 run block win rate ranks third among this group, and he received several first-place votes because of it. As one NFL coordinator said, "He's got elite hands, and he is great at finishing his blocks."
It's not surprising to Tennessee fans to see Smith grade out so well in the NFL. He seemingly did everything the right way at Tennessee and continues to be rewarded for that.
If Smith doesn't re-sign with the Chiefs after his franchise tag, he could become one of the highest-paid interior offensive linemen in the NFL as he continues to get better year after year with the best franchise in the league.