Florida football recruiting: Five-star 2022 kicker Trey Smack commits to Gators

By Adam Silverstein
June 23, 2021
Florida football recruiting: Five-star 2022 kicker Trey Smack commits to Gators
Football

Image Credit: Trey Smack / Twitter

Head coach Dan Mullen has plans to ensure the Florida Gators’ kicking game remains strong well into the future, and he received a boost to that end Wednesday when kicker Trey Smack (Severna Park, MD) committed to the program. Smack is listed as a five-star prospect by Kohl’s Kicking among other recruiting services aimed towards specialists.

Smack (6-foot-2, 200 pounds) shared his commitment announcement on Twitter. “I am beyond excited to open the next chapter of my kicking career! I have committed to the University of Florida. #GoGators,” he wrote.

His decision comes just days after receiving an offer from Florida. It is not clear whether his recruitment is just ramping up as his offer sheet is not deep, but Smack’s talent is immense, and he would likely slot in as a Day 1 starter for the Gators, which at this time do not have a kicker who will be on the roster at the start of the 2022 season. His offer came with evaluation from veteran NFL kicker Shayne Graham, who is now a special teams quality control assistant on Mullen’s staff.

Smack is ranked as the No. 3 kicker in the nation, according to Kohl’s Kicking, which also lists him as a five-star punter. It is not expected that he would perform both roles for the Gators, though it certainly helps to have a prospect who can take over both duties if necessary, especially one who will join the program on scholarship.

Evan McPherson, who started at kicker for Florida over the last couple seasons, left school early to declare for the NFL Draft. He was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals with the No. 149 overall pick in the fifth round and signed with Cincinnati on May 17.

The Gators will open the 2021 season with redshirt senior Chris Howard as the lone kicker on the roster barring walk-ons joining the program during the summer. Howard himself is a walk on who is 2 for 2 on field goals and 10 for 10 on extra points in his career, averaging 53.3 yards per kickoff across six career attempts.

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