Maryland wide receiver Torrey Smith going pro

AP

The Maryland Terrapins defeated the East Carolina Pirates 51-20 Wednesday night with a run-heavy attack. Ralph Friedgen’s Terps ripped off 297 yards and six touchdowns on the ground.

Maryland fourth-year junior receiver Torrey Smith’s mind must’ve been made up about his NFL intentions entering the game, because he only caught two passes for 10 yards. Smith announced almost immediately after the victory that he’s turning pro.

“I’m forgoing my last year of eligibility to enter the NFL draft,” wrote Smith on Twitter. “And all supporters I appreciate your support.”

Despite his slow game Wednesday, Smith led the Terrapins in catches (65), receiving yards (1,045), and receiving scores (12) this season. Listed at 6-foot-1 and 205 pounds, Smith was selected as a first-team All-ACC wideout opposite Leonard Hankerson of Miami (FL).

Smith also reset the ACC’s single-season kickoff return yardage record twice at Maryland. Originally recruited as a dual-threat quarterback, Smith played alongside Darrius Heyward-Bey early in his career before maxing out as the Terps’ No. 1 receiver in 2009 and 2010. Smith did his damage this season with freshman Danny O’Brien at quarterback.

A silky smooth deep threat, Smith projects as a late first- to early second-round prospect for April’s draft.

21 responses to “Maryland wide receiver Torrey Smith going pro

  1. You also forgot that he set the ACC career return yardage record this year.
    He’s going Pro because James Franklin (Maryland’s Offensive Coordinator) left and Maryland fired the Fridge. What more is he gonna be able to do at Maryland in a new system other than extend his return yardage record?

  2. This guy is for real. His value will be hurt some b/c of how poorly Heward-Bey has played but look for a team like New England to add him late in the first. Whoever gets him will be happy.

  3. this guy actually has a better skill set than dhb. not quite as fast, but a good return man with good hands. needs to work on route running. but could easily be a good #2 or #3 in the nfl

  4. As a bills fan, I am convinced u don’t need to blow a top ten pick on a wr…..I’ve seen Steve Johnson develop as a 7th round pick and David nelson make some plays as an undrafted…..unless its a can’t miss prospect like crabtree, oh wait how did that work out lol

  5. Really, really like him quite a bit. After AJ Green and Julio Jones, I think he’d be my third favorite receiver in the draft. He played with some pretty pedestrian QB’s. He’s got great quickness, runs fairly solid routes, and has good speed (albeit, not great speed). He’ll help a team out as a return man fairly early on.

    The other guy for me after Green/Jones would be Justin Blackmon, but Torrey is a bit more explosive than Blackmon, IMO. I’m not a huge fan of Baldwin. Considering the pedestrian talent at the top of the draft, as of now, I am expecting Torrey to go in the first.

  6. @bigblue86

    He is leaving because he comes from a challenging background and it is time to start supporting his 7 brothers and sisters. He also has his degree. He was gone long before Franklin and Friedgen leaving. Below is a must read on the character of Torrey

    http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/25/AR2010122501499_pf.html

    Exerpts:
    That’s when a 4-year-old Torrey Smith would put aside his ball, race inside his unit and assume his duties.

    His routine: Line up his three younger brothers at the table. Drag a chair across the kitchen floor to the counter. Climb on top. With tiny hands, place bologna, hot dogs, ravioli or even eggs in the microwave. Using the markings Monica had etched on the manual timer, heat breakfast for his younger siblings.

    But unlike most 7-year-olds, he changed diapers, did loads of laundry and dressed three younger brothers. He ran bath water and hollered, “You’d better get in that tub!” He tucked his brothers in for a 9 o’clock bedtime then he curled up to sleep with a baseball, basketball or football – depending on the season.

    Another time, Torrey and his brother sat in the back seat of the car as the husband placed a 9mm gun to Monica’s head. He held it still. He pulled the trigger. When the ringing in Monica’s ears stopped, she realized she was still alive and looked up to see the hole in the roof left by the bullet. The kids fled to their grandma’s, while the husband held Monica hostage. Her mother called the sheriff, and a SWAT team was summoned and treated it as a kidnapping.

    ______________________________
    bigblue86 says: Dec 29, 2010 8:32 PM

    You also forgot that he set the ACC career return yardage record this year.
    He’s going Pro because James Franklin (Maryland’s Offensive Coordinator) left and Maryland fired the Fridge. What more is he gonna be able to do at Maryland in a new system other than extend his return yardage record?
    _________________________________

  7. Torrey is a great kid who graduated two weeks ago and has been the main caregiver in his household since before he was a teen. Whomever drafts him will be getting a very mature young man and a heck of a receiver.

  8. Haha, the posers who’ll be trying to pass themselves off as draft experts are exposing themselves in this thread. If you don’t know who Torrey Smith is, you haven’t paid attention to college football the past couple of seasons.

  9. Just read the article and anyone betting against my fellow Terp is throwing their money away…

  10. burntorangehorn says:
    Dec 29, 2010 10:37 PM
    Haha, the posers who’ll be trying to pass themselves off as draft experts are exposing themselves in this thread. If you don’t know who Torrey Smith is, you haven’t paid attention to college football the past couple of seasons.

    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    Hope you’re not referring to me… I live for the draft… and I can’t see for the life of me see how Smith could be rated lower than DHB. Perhaps he’s not quite as fast, but he was far more productive and he disappeared from games far less frequently than DHB did in college. Sure, he disappeared last night, but who wouldn’t with one RB running for over 200 yards and 2 TDs over 60 yards and another RB running for 4 TDs? Jerry Rice would’ve been an afterthought with a running game like that.

  11. cletusvandam says:
    Dec 30, 2010 2:59 AM
    2 catches for 10 yds against east carolina. He’s obviously ready for the NFL

    _____________

    And you’re obviously an idiot. If you watched the game you would have seen RB Scott run for over 200 yards, including 61 and 91 yard TD runs, and his backup running for 4 TDs. What kind of an idiot offensive coordinator would care to throw the ball when they saw that much success running it?

  12. @BigBlue…

    Thanks for posting that article, what an amazing story. Before anyone goes on here and talks bad about this kid, take the time to read it.

    My only hope now is that the Ravens draft him.

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