Texas A&M Football: Ainias Smith listed as Player of the Year candidate

The Texas A&M Football team is no stranger to having Player of the Year candidates. Just ask Johnny Manziel, Von Miller, or Myles Garrett.

Part of this is due to the fact that TAMU lies in fertile recruiting grounds. The other part is the fact that this team consistently comes up with great game plans which, at the very least, entertain the audience.

For nearly the past century, this never really got the Aggies anywhere. They would have a couple of star players that kept the entire country watching but couldn’t quite reach the promised land. With Jimbo Fisher in charge, the culture has shifted to a College Football Playoff-or-bust mentality.

But that doesn’t mean TAMU can’t have an electrifying player on the roster.

Texas A&M Football’s Ainias Smith was listed as an SEC Offensive Player of the Year candidate

When you’re thinking about the best players on the Aggies’ current roster, you’ll generally think of DeMarvin Leal, Texas A&M’s next elite defensive player. Some might have Kenyon Green, one of the best offensive linemen in the country, in mind.

Saturday Down South had other ideas though, listing Ainias Smith as one of ten potential Offensive Player of the Year candidates for the 2021-22 SEC season. Jesse Simonton had the following to say about Smith and his versatility.

"“Too often, players in college football are given the ‘Swiss Army knife’ moniker, but Texas A&M’s top playmaker is truly a versatile weapon all over the field.”"

He’s not wrong either — Smith is one of the most efficient, versatile players on the field at all times.

Smith has accounted for over 1,000 yards from scrimmage over the course of his first two seasons in College Station. The 5-10 runningback-wide receiver hybrid can do it all. He accounted for 10 total touchdowns last season, with 4 of those coming on the ground and 6 through the air. In all likelihood, he’ll keep pumping that number up in 2021-22.

On an Aggie offense that has a new-look offensive line and a brand new quarterback under center, Jimbo Fisher will look to his experienced players to lead the unit. For this very same reason, we should see big seasons from players like Jalen Wydermyer, Isaiah Spiller, and Devon Achane.

Even though he isn’t thought of as one of the leaders of this team, he has arguably the highest ceiling of any proven Aggie and should have an explosive year through the air.