The accolades were not in short supply when the City of Jackson honored Trey Smith, an offensive lineman with the Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs, at the Carl Perkins Civic Center with ‘Trey Day,’ Friday.
While he was honored with a proclamation from Jackson Mayor Scott Conger declaring the day ‘Trey Smith Day,’ none could have topped the compliment paid him by Mickey Marley, his high school football coach at the University School of Jackson.
“I have three grandchildren,” Marley said, “If my grandsons grow up to be the type of man Trey has grown up to be, I’m going to a happy man.
Smith told those in attendance to pursue their dreams.
“Dream big, chase your dream relentlessly,” Smith said, “I’ve faced a lot of adversity in my life. My mom, she passed away when I was 15 (and) at the University of Tennessee, I had a good first year – but I had blood clots.”
When he was told to give up football, it wasn’t what he wanted to hear.
“I wouldn’t accept that,” Smith said, “I put in too much over the years (and) ultimately my faith in God led me to where I am today.”
Smith, who went from a sixth round draft choice – 226th overall – by the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2021 NFL Draft, joined Jacksonians Ed ‘Too Tall’ Jones, Trey Teague and Jabari Greer to play for a Super Bowl winner.
Smith, a 2017 University School of Jackson graduate, stands 6-foot-6 and tips the scales at 329 pounds.
He played collegiately at the University of Tennessee, was ranked as the No. 1 college football recruit in the nation by ESPN in 2017.
As a true freshman, Smith was named to the Associated Press All-SEC second team, among other honors.
Smith, who was diagnosed with blood clots in his lungs following his freshman season at Tennessee in 2017, earned Freshman All-American honors.
Prior to the start of the 2018 season, Smith was cleared by physicians to play.
Trey Smith
A member of ESPN 300, earned All-State honors from 2015-17, and won the 2016 Bobby Dodd Award, presented by the Touchdown Club of Atlanta.
He was named a 2017 Under Armour All-American, and 2016 USA TODAY/American Family Insurance All-USA First Team.
In 2016, he was named MaxPreps Football All-American First Team Offense, and a two-time Tennessee Mr. Football.
Twice he was selected his District’s offensive lineman of the Year, Player of the Year, and two-time Offensive Lineman of the Year.
