In the midst of the Music City Bowl drama, senior wide-receiver Brandon Smith made the expected announcement that he would forego his extra year of eligibility and enter the NFL Draft. Per his Twitter:
Thank you to all of my supporters#12thfloor pic.twitter.com/GRl2qfz9yB
— Brandon Smith (@_BSmith12) December 27, 2020
Smith ending up at Iowa was primarily due to Kevin Bell, Iowa’s recruiting coordinator that grew up in Olive Branch, Mississippi. While visiting his mother, Bell heard about a wide-receiver in nearby Lake Cormorant that was lighting things up and well, you know the rest. Smith, a one-time 3-star wide-recruit with a long list of mid-major offers committed to Iowa and developed into the Hawkeyes' big body on the outside.
In his four seasons with the Hawkeyes, Smith amassed 91 receptions for 1,046 yards and nine touchdowns. Iowa fans should remember his catch against Minnesota:
Or his reception against Penn State, which was one of the most impressive catches I’ve seen anywhere:
This is what Smith brings to the table: a big physical presence with the ability to make plays over cornerbacks. Smith has already gotten some NFL buzz from Jim Nagy, a draft analyst for ESPN and the executive director of the Senior Bowl:
Stats might not show it but one prospect emerging early in Big Ten season is @HawkeyeFootball WR Brandon Smith. Batted thru injuries last year and looks more athletic & explosive in 2020. Staff expects him to post 40-inch VJ at nearly 220 lbs this spring. #TheDraftStartsInMOBILE pic.twitter.com/8T0F2hf1zj
— Jim Nagy (@JimNagy_SB) November 9, 2020
Smith will absolutely get a shot in the NFL and should his Combine go well, could see himself getting drafted. Best of luck at the next level and thanks for everything, Brandon.
