Burning Questions: Can Travis Smith Be An Early Contributor?

Originally posted on Tennessee Volunteers on SI
By Evan Crowell | Last updated Mar 6, 2025 2:01 PM ET

Tennessee Volunteers wide receiver Travis Smith Jr. has many early expectations. Is it reasonable to expect a big season out of the true freshman?

Tennessee wide receiver Travis Smith earned many fans throughout his time at the high school level. The 6-foot-3 speedster amassed 64 receptions for 1,312 yards and 13 touchdowns in his senior season at Westlake High School, cementing his status as one of the top pass catchers in the 2025 recruiting cycle.

The Volunteers signed three wide receivers in his class, but Smith is the most ready for action. While several previous Tennessee signees could have been ready to see the field early in their careers, few have substantially impacted the team in their true freshman season. In fact, no Tennessee true freshman has eclipsed 100 receiving yards in a season under head coach Josh Heupel.

Everyone has different opinions on bringing along receivers at the college level. Heupel said as much in a 2023 radio appearance. "There's not a perfect science to it,” Heupel explained. “There’s not. I wish there was." Many were frustrated that the Vols didn't turn to wide receiver Mike Matthews earlier last season, as fellow 2024 signees Jeremiah Smith and Ryan Williams achieved massive success in their true freshman seasons.

While it became clear the Vols were and are comfortable playing older receivers, they won't have that luxury this fall. They lost two receivers to the NFL Draft and five to the transfer portal. They expect redshirt junior Chris Brazzell II, Matthews, and 2024 signee Braylon Staley to take leaps, but they also likely need contributions from someone in their 2025 class. The chatter out of Knoxville suggests they want Smith to be that guy, but is he ready for the opportunity?

He's got the frame and makeup that the Volunteers like on the perimeter. Smith can fly downfield with surprising burst and fluidity for someone his size. He gets in and out of his brakes cleanly and was one of the most fluid and polished route runners in his signing class. Smith is at his best when he gets to attack the football out of the air, and quarterback Nico Iamaleava gives his outside targets plenty of chances to do that.

Ultimately, none of that will matter if he can't quickly pick up the playbook and system. Most of Tennessee's passing concepts are choice routes where the quarterback and receiver must agree on the timing and route progression. Heupel has proven he will not play wide receivers who aren't ready mentally, but once they pick up the system, they will have unlimited opportunities. The spring practice window and summer workouts will be quintessential for Smith, who has a legitimate path to seeing the field in a real way this fall.