2020 Sebastian River (FL) 4-star DT Timothy Smith was out competing at the Opening Miami Regional last month and held his own against a loaded field of mostly older competition.
“I mean it was pretty fun,” Smith said about the Opening. “It was a different experience, I haven’t gotten to go to many camps like that. I was the first invite I’ve gotten. I just liked it, it was pretty good.”
His impressions on his first visit to the Miami area?
“It’s nice. It’s hot.”
It seems the sweltering temperatures won’t keep Smith away from South Florida for long, though: he’ll be back in Miami on Saturday, this time to visit UM’s campus for the first time and take part in the Canes’ Underclassman Day featuring close to 50 prospects both freshman and sophomore. Smith elaborated on what it was about “The U” that is drawing him to Coral Gables.
“I like the Turnover Chain thing, that’s a pretty neat idea,” Smith said. “It’s closer to home, but I wouldn’t care if I went to a college away from home so I can see new things, meet new people.”
Back in January was when Smith landed his Miami offer, and he considered it his first “big offer”. Not surprisingly, other schools have since followed suit and it’s not hard to see why: it’s rare to see a kid Smith’s age that can combine both his size and athleticism.
“It’s not a shock, but it’s something I’ve been working to. I didn’t want to go my whole high school career without getting any big offers,” Smith said. “So, not a shock, but when you’re 6’4” 324 pounds, that’s gonna happen. My first two offers were my freshman year towards the end of the year, from Middle Tennessee and Maryland. My coach tweeted it out the day after, or that day. At first I thought, ‘This really can’t be’, but it was real. Then later on in my sophomore year, they really started coming in.”
Smith now lists nine offers, with the most recent ones coming from FSU and Georgia. The big DT from Sebastian River is coming off a trip to UGA in Athens last month for their Underclassman Day and talked about what has him so interested in the Bulldogs.
“It’s quiet, it’s a huge campus,” Smith said on Georgia. “The coaches, they love me, they do a lot of one-on-one stuff with me. But at the same time, I have a lot of family up there. So while it’s far away from my home, I have other people that I know up there so I won’t feel lost.”
It’s hard to believe, but Smith is really just scratching the surface of his potential. He’s only been playing football for two years and actually only used to play baseball up until he entered high school.
“I think when I was about in seventh grade, I was in Little League and one of my coaches was also a football coach at Vero Beach High School,” Smith said. “So, he got me thinking about playing football, but my mom didn’t want me to get hurt. But, going into my freshman year of high school, I was 6’2” 240 and I realized I had no choice but to play football. It just took off from there.”
Now poised to be an upperclassman next season, Smith is ready to take on more of a leadership position on his team as a junior, but he says it’s something he’s comfortable with since he was already considered one of the top voices on last year’s team.
“I mean I got a lot of people that didn’t approve of it last year (being in a leadership role), saying, ‘He’s only a sophomore, he’s just now learning how to play the game’,” Smith said. “But, I love my team, they’re really supportive. We go through practice hard and just try and win games.”
“I mean it was pretty fun,” Smith said about the Opening. “It was a different experience, I haven’t gotten to go to many camps like that. I was the first invite I’ve gotten. I just liked it, it was pretty good.”
His impressions on his first visit to the Miami area?
“It’s nice. It’s hot.”
It seems the sweltering temperatures won’t keep Smith away from South Florida for long, though: he’ll be back in Miami on Saturday, this time to visit UM’s campus for the first time and take part in the Canes’ Underclassman Day featuring close to 50 prospects both freshman and sophomore. Smith elaborated on what it was about “The U” that is drawing him to Coral Gables.
“I like the Turnover Chain thing, that’s a pretty neat idea,” Smith said. “It’s closer to home, but I wouldn’t care if I went to a college away from home so I can see new things, meet new people.”
Back in January was when Smith landed his Miami offer, and he considered it his first “big offer”. Not surprisingly, other schools have since followed suit and it’s not hard to see why: it’s rare to see a kid Smith’s age that can combine both his size and athleticism.
“It’s not a shock, but it’s something I’ve been working to. I didn’t want to go my whole high school career without getting any big offers,” Smith said. “So, not a shock, but when you’re 6’4” 324 pounds, that’s gonna happen. My first two offers were my freshman year towards the end of the year, from Middle Tennessee and Maryland. My coach tweeted it out the day after, or that day. At first I thought, ‘This really can’t be’, but it was real. Then later on in my sophomore year, they really started coming in.”
Smith now lists nine offers, with the most recent ones coming from FSU and Georgia. The big DT from Sebastian River is coming off a trip to UGA in Athens last month for their Underclassman Day and talked about what has him so interested in the Bulldogs.
“It’s quiet, it’s a huge campus,” Smith said on Georgia. “The coaches, they love me, they do a lot of one-on-one stuff with me. But at the same time, I have a lot of family up there. So while it’s far away from my home, I have other people that I know up there so I won’t feel lost.”
It’s hard to believe, but Smith is really just scratching the surface of his potential. He’s only been playing football for two years and actually only used to play baseball up until he entered high school.
“I think when I was about in seventh grade, I was in Little League and one of my coaches was also a football coach at Vero Beach High School,” Smith said. “So, he got me thinking about playing football, but my mom didn’t want me to get hurt. But, going into my freshman year of high school, I was 6’2” 240 and I realized I had no choice but to play football. It just took off from there.”
Now poised to be an upperclassman next season, Smith is ready to take on more of a leadership position on his team as a junior, but he says it’s something he’s comfortable with since he was already considered one of the top voices on last year’s team.
“I mean I got a lot of people that didn’t approve of it last year (being in a leadership role), saying, ‘He’s only a sophomore, he’s just now learning how to play the game’,” Smith said. “But, I love my team, they’re really supportive. We go through practice hard and just try and win games.”
