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Maryland Football: Veteran WR enters final season with NFL aspirations

Originally posted on Maryland Terrapins on SI
By Chris Breiler | Last updated May 8, 2025 1:03 PM ET

Entering his fourth and final season with the Terrapins, veteran wideout Octavian Smith Jr. is looking to prove he's NFL-worthy. Although he's undersized at 5-11, 176 pounds, Smith has established himself as a reliable target and his production has increased every year he's been in College Park. In 2024, Smith was Maryland's fourth leading receiver with 30 receptions for 315 yards and 2 touchdowns.

But in order to get to the next level and fulfill his dream of playing in the NFL, Smith knows that he needs to elevate his game in 2025.

.@octaviansmithjr on staying home, leaning on his support system, and playing for @CoachLocks

️ https://t.co/5h3YdAXDI2 pic.twitter.com/mIFQR2W2Ns
— Maryland Football (@TerpsFootball) May 8, 2025

Via PressboxOnline.com:

“I don’t have any more years of eligibility after this one. There’s a lot of anxiety that can go into it, but I’m confident that as long as I put in the work I know what it takes to get there. People say, ‘you do it right, you’re set for life.’ That’s my goal. I have NFL aspirations. I always have as a kid. Going into this season, it would be huge to be one step closer to that goal, to that dream.”

During the 2024 season, Maryland's top two wideouts Tai Felton and Kaden Prather accounted for a combined for 1,748 yards and 13 touchdowns on 152 receptions. But with both Felton and Prather now off to the NFL, the Terps will certainly need guys like Smith to help fill the void.

This article first appeared on Maryland Terrapins on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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