BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Tennessee freshman offensive lineman Trey Smith has been named to the 2017 Southeastern Conference All-Freshman Football Team, as announced by the conference office on Thursday.
The team was voted on by the league’s head coaches, who were not permitted to vote for their own players.
Smith was named to the Coaches All-SEC Second Team on Tuesday and earned AP All-SEC Second Team honors on Monday.
Smith is Tennessee’s first offensive player to earn SEC All-Freshman honors since Chance Hall in 2015.
The Jackson, Tennessee, native was the only Tennessee offensive lineman to start all 12 games for the Vols in 2017. He had eight starts at right guard, three at left tackle and one at left guard. Smith led the Vols in pancakes and was UT’s second-highest rated offensive lineman behind only senior Jashon Robertson. Smith became the first Tennessee true freshman to start at left tackle in at least 30 years.
Smith made several highlight reels with his physical blocking style and showed the poise of a veteran player despite 2017 being his first year of college football. Smith’s blocking helped pave the way for career-best seasons by running backs John Kelly(778 rushing yards), Ty Chandler (305 yards) and Carlin Fils-aime (215 yards).
Smith, who is also a candidate for Freshman All-America honors, was the No. 1 overall rated player in the nation in 2017 recruiting according to ESPN.com.
-UT Athletics
