Trey

Smith

Right guard Trey Smith was listed as questionable. Butker suffered the injury in Kansas City’s Week 1 demolition of the Cardinals. Safety Justin Reid was forced to take over kicking duties after Butker went down. Matt Ammendola was signed to the Chiefs’ practice squad earlier this week. He will be called up for the team’s Thursday outing with the Chargers. Kicking for the league’s best offense, Ammendola is a strong streaming option for fantasy purposes.

Rapoport added that Duvernay-Tardif’s injury won’t require surgery and that he still has a chance to be ready for Week 1. The veteran guard opted out of the 2020 season to serve as a frontline worker during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Pro Football Focus graded him as an above-average pass blocker in 2019 but the Chiefs listed him as a second-stringer in their first unofficial depth chart. Trey Smith, a sixth-round rookie from Tennessee, was listed as the starter at right guard. With Duvernay-Tardif likely out for the rest of training camp, Smith should hold onto the starting role heading into Week 1.

After working into the lineup as a freshman in 2017, Smith’s (6’6/331) career was interrupted by a blood clot in his lungs as a sophomore. He elected to play in 2020 despite being in a high-risk category, and had no issues. He hasn’t had a flare-up since 2018. Smith struggled at left tackle in Knoxville, but took off after losing weight and shifting to guard the past two years. Smith allowed only one sack and four hits over the past two seasons in 754 pass-pro reps. He has a massive, rangy build, length that suits him well in pass-pro. Smith shuts down power rushers by stalling engines with a vicious punch. He brings a semi-truck load forward in the run game, showing impressive drive strength. But he’s inconsistent, vacillating between forklifting opponents at the collision point onto a conveyor belt and lurching downward into contact, frittering away balance and leverage. Smith tested as a 9.91 RAS athlete, with 7.43 second 3-cone that ranked a size-adjusted No. 37 among guards since 1987. Assuming his lungs are medically cleared, Smith has starter upside.

“When I close my eyes and picture a Pro Bowl offensive lineman, I see the profile of Tennessee’s Trey Smith,” Scarborough writes, later adding that "[w]ith his size and athleticism, I would have been surprised if he hadn’t been a first-round pick in last month’s draft.” Scarborough is on the money with his comments on Smith’s talent and upside, but the real test is going to be in the doctor’s office, as Smith played in just seven games back in 2018 due to blood clots, an issue which first cropped up in February of that year. While he was able to bounce back as a first-team All-SEC performer last fall, medicals are going to have a lot to say about Smith’s ultimate draft slot.

Given annually, the award recognizes the player who has shown exceptional courage, integrity and sportsmanship on and off the field. Smith returned from blood clots in his lungs to earn first-team All-SEC recognition last fall. Off the field, he leads coat drives and speaks to youth groups and at schools. Air Force QB Isaiah Sanders and USC WR Michael Pittman were two other finalists for the award.

After being limited to seven games in 2018 due to blood clots, Smith (6'6/325) appeared in 12 of Tennessee’s 13 games this season. The junior tackle was one of the Volunteers’ better offensive performers this season, despite the fact that he took part in just two full pads practices. This was one of the precautionary measures taken after Smith returned from the blood clots that ended his 2018 season. Team physician Chris Klenck said on Thursday that the practice/maintenance plan for Smith could be augmented some heading into the 2020 season.

“The main priority has been and always will be Trey’s health. Our doctors have implemented a plan that will allow Trey to play, and we are excited for him,” Vols HC Jeremy Pruitt said in a statement. Uber-talented redshirt sophomore Smith has been fighting through blood clots since his first year on campus. He was able to play in the first seven games last season before the health issue tabled his fall campaign. When healthy, the 6-foot-6, 337-pounder has real NFL intrigue. Medical checks next spring, should he declare, will be crucial for his pro prospects. If he can offer up a show-cause season on the health front this fall, that would be clutch.

Smith (6'6/337) missed the final five games of the 2018 season after doctors discovered a recurrence of blood clots in the tackle’s lungs and he was not cleared for contact work this spring. Reflecting the uncertainty around this medical issue, Miller ranks Miller as his No. 10 tackle prospect for 2020. Smith’s progress is very much going to be worth watching come August.

“Trey’s not doing any contact drills,” HC Jeremy Pruitt told reporters. “He might hit a dummy here and there, but no contact.” Smith missed last year because of of blood clots in his lungs, and the hope is he’s able to contribute as a starter for the Tennessee offensive line in 2019. Before that, he’s going to obviously be needed to clear for contact. It likely doesn’t come in the spring, as there’s no reason to risk it.

Smith played in the first seven games this year after being cleared by physicians in August following a diagnosis in February of blood clots in his lungs. He was, of course, monitored closely by Tennessee’s medical staff throughout, leading to this relapse being caught. The 6-foot-6, 320-pound sophomore is expected to make a full recovery, though he currently doesn’t have a timeline to return to the field. Smith was ESPN’s No. 1 overall prospect in the 2017 class. He’s a highly-intriguing NFL talent assuming he returns to full health.