Trey Smith out to Prove No. 1 Ranking and Represent His Late Mother, Hometown

ADDISON, Ill. — When he got the news, Trey Smith was getting some video game time in. He wasn't expecting to hear that he was considered the nation's top-ranked player.

It was a late April afternoon when Smith got the word that he was the No. 1 player in the latest ESPN 300 rankings, a huge honor considering the many other big names around the country capable of holding down the top spot.

"I thought it was a joke at first," said Smith, a 247Sports composite 4-star offensive tackle from Jackson, Tennessee. "I was actually playing Xbox when I saw it and said, 'Yeah, whatever. Let me get back on these sticks.'

"I looked at it again, and that's a huge honor. The list of names who can be No. 1, those are some dogs. To be the top right now, just representing my class is an honor. I'm going to take it humbly."

Among the many names who could have been named No. 1 are running back Najee Harris, linebacker Dylan Moses and defensive tackle Marvin Wilson—the top three ranked players in the 247Sports composite rankings. It's a list that Smith doesn't take for granted, and it's an honor he holds with pride.

ESPN rewarded Smith heavily, despite him not even being the top-ranked player in the state of Tennessee per the 247Sports composite (No. 3 in Tennessee, No. 11 offensive tackle, No. 53 overall).

Smith, a 6'6", 298-pound athlete who holds north of 25 offers, is the first to admit being considered the nation's top-ranked player in the 2017 class was a goal of his. Getting to The Opening finals for a second consecutive year was another goal, which he achieved Saturday at The Opening Chicago regional.

Now it's time to achieve other goals, such as playing college football and, ultimately, making it professionally. It's what his mother would have wanted.

Doing It for Dorsetta

Smith's offer list features a ton of heavyweights, including Alabama, Notre Dame, Clemson, Ohio State, Ole Miss, Auburn and in-state school Tennessee. While he's maintained a poker face regarding his actual favorites, Smith admitted that he's planning on dropping a top eight at The Opening and would like to make a verbal commitment around mid-December.

Dorsetta Smith wasn't the biggest fan of football, but she was a huge fan of watching her son excel. Trey's world was rocked in February of last year when his mother died after dealing with heart complications. She was 51; Trey was only 15.

"There's not a day that goes by I don't think about her," Smith said. "I just want to honor her every time I step on the field. I want to do my job, get that reputation of being No. 1 and eventually get to the NFL.

"Those are some of my dreams, and she knew that. Accomplishing that would be great and another way to honor her."

Representing for his hometown also is something that drives Smith. He said his mother would always give him advice about being the best while remaining humble. It's something that Smith keeps close to his heart, and it's something he discusses with his father, Henry, and his other football mentors.

Todd Huber is the director of football for Student Sports, which puts on The Opening. Huber, a former college offensive lineman, has been watching Smith for quite some time and fully understands why he is such a wanted athlete and well-liked person off the field.

In short, Smith "just gets it," Huber said.

"There isn't a box Trey doesn't check," Huber said. "He's a great kid, student, teammate and competitor, to go along with his physical traits. From our operations crew who checked him in, to our digital crew that was covering the event, to Bob Connelly—who's been coaching at the D-I level for 20 years—everyone had something good to say about Trey.

"He put down one of the more impressive The Opening regionals of the year [in Chicago]. It's exactly what you'd expect from a guy returning for his second go at The Opening finals."

Even though his mother physically isn't here, Smith knows she's with him during everything he does. He said she taught him how to be respectful while also making it a priority to dominate at all times.

It's enough to motivate him daily.

"She's pretty much the main influence of my life," Smith said. "I got some good advice from someone about her: 'Live your life the way she'd want you to live it.'"

Credit: Student Sports

'For the 731'

Jackson is a growing city in western Tennessee. With a population of roughly 70,000, Jackson is about a 90-mile drive east of Memphis. The city has produced a few NFL athletes, including Ed "Too Tall" Jones, Sylvester Hicks and Al Wilson.

Two other Jackson athletes who made it to the league are Trey Teague and Artis Hicks, two offensive linemen whom Smith has relied on for advice. Collectively, Teague and Hicks played more than 15 years in the NFL.

"Trey Teague went to my high school. I see him a lot," Smith said. "He's always saying to take the recruiting process as humbly as possible. He tells me to take my time and look at all my decisions.

"Artis Hicks is sort of like my mentor. He's always giving me the truth about people. He knows what to look for in people. He can read them—who's fake and who's real. He's a nice guy who's humble with a good personality. My mom told me she wanted me to be more like him."

Jackson has the 731 area code, and Smith is the first to say he's "representing for the 731" at any given opportunity. Being the next big thing to come from the city is something he dreams about.

It's also something Huber sees as a reality, so long as Smith continues to improve. He came to Saturday's The Opening Chicago noticeably bigger than last year and more mentally prepared. Smith not only can play tackle but also can line up at guard if necessary at the next level, which potentially could make him a versatile option early in his college career.

"As the top dog, he could have let the weather and group dictate his energy and physicality and effort," Huber said, referring to Saturday's chilly temperatures. "Instead, he came in and set the tone and put everyone at the camp on notice right away. He showed why he's the dude and why he was at The Opening last year."

Smith's play has put him in a position to play college ball practically wherever he wants. He said he's doing his research and keeping an eye on the movement of coaching staffs. Having a reliable offensive line coach is one of the main X-factors in selecting a college.

"That's the main thing. That's the dude I'll be with 90 percent of the time," Smith said. "As soon as I get on campus, I'm converted to the O-line coach. Right now, I'm just evaluating all of them, seeing the talent they produce and seeing their personalities and what kind of men they are."

The winning school will get a player who has multiple reasons to excel. The school also will get someone who refuses to let any excuse get in the way of his goals.

"Being one of the next guys to carry that legacy, and doing it for my mom...that's what it's about," Smith said. "I know I'm representing a lot of people in a lot of different ways, not only on the field but off the field. It's all about making your hometown proud."

Damon Sayles is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. All quotes were obtained firsthand. All player ratings are courtesy of 247Sports' composite ratings. Follow Damon via Twitter: @DamonSayles