Ainias Smith shares how he is blocking outside noise

Texas A&M wide receiver Ainias Smith doesn’t want to hear any of the outside noise going into the 2023 season.

There are a lot of expectations in College Station, but aside from 2020 where the Aggies nearly got to the playoff, it’s been well short of what Jimbo Fisher envisioned. But fear not, Smith embraced that challenge.

That mentality won’t change for this fall.

“I try to just let everybody know in the previous years we’ve had a lot of hype and attention that has come to us,” Smith said, “A lot of it, me personally I feel like, is a little unwanted attention, you know what I’m saying?

“We have had a lot of people talking about us in the previous years, but this year it seems like a lot of people aren’t talking about us, and I personally like that.”

Smith loves the underdog role and embodies it in his mind.

“Being an underdog is somebody that I’ve been for a long, long time in my life, and I just like the fact that we have to be able to prove ourselves and show everybody what it is,” Smith said. “So I just like that fact and that feeling for sure.”

Smith was limited to just four games last season due to injury, but he’s one of the most electric playmakers on the Texas A&M roster.

In 2021, Smith had 47 catches for 509 yards, six touchdowns and 10.8 yards per catch. In his career (38 games), Smith has 127 catches, 1,612 yards, 17 touchdowns and 12.7 yards per catch.

He’s also a dynamic runner. Smith has 67 career carries for 384 yards and four touchdowns (all scores coming in 2020).

As a member of the Class of 2019, Smith was a three-star recruit out of Sugar Land (Texas) Dulles, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He was the No. 98 overall prospect in the state, the No. 61 running back in the class and the No. 769 overall prospect in the class.

No matter what happens with Texas A&M’s quarterback battle, Smith will be ready.

“Personally I don’t know who is going to be QB1,” Smith said. “I have no say-so in that. I don’t know who will be QB1, because both of those guys are looking very great. The chemistry between me and Connor (Weighman), we’ve played some 7-on-7 before when we were younger. That was the only time we really played ball together other than spring, you know what I’m saying, but I definitely like the way he is throwing the ball.

“Both him and Max Johnson are looking real nice, so I just hope for the best, you know what I’m saying?”