Kentucky rekindles relationship with 3-star '24 EDGE Antwan Smith

Kentucky football extended a scholarship to Antwan Smith, a three-star edge rusher out of Atlanta, back in mid-February, but communication died down shortly after. Until this week, that is, when the Wildcats reached back out to the product of Westlake (GA) High School. Considered a Top 50 EDGE prospect in the 2024 class, Smith’s recruitment is beginning to pop.

Smith spoke with KSR on Wednesday to talk about Kentucky. He received his offer from defensive line coach Anwar Stewart a couple of months ago and that’s who he heard from again earlier this week. Smith said he was “very surprised” when UK first offered, but was confident the staff would reach out again.

“I knew that things was gonna be rekindled at some point. Just didn’t know when,” Smith told KSR. “(Kentucky) reached out to me and it was nothing but love hearing from them. So that was good.”

Smith says that Kentucky views him as an inside linebacker. The staff came to visit him on Tuesday when the two sides talked about where he would play if he were to choose the ‘Cats, how he would fit, and just that they like his skills as a whole. It’s Smith’s conversations with the staff and his perception of them that have him interested in UK.

“The coaching staff that is there,” Smith said in reference to what he likes about Kentucky. “From what I’ve heard and seen, they’ve been put in positions to have success and win and they have accomplished those things. And just knowing that it’s coaches like that taking notice and telling me about my game, it just means a lot because it means that I’m doing the right things.”

Smith’s talents extend beyond the gridiron, too. He’s a star track and field athlete, particularly as a sprinter, which isn’t typical of someone listed at 6-foot-3, 195 pounds. He recently ran the 200-meter dash in 21.22 seconds, a top 25 time in the United States.

Blessed to be #5 in Georgia and top 25 in USA for the 200 @RicoZackery @RecruitWestlake @coach_cage pic.twitter.com/FBzrkqAw6s

— Antwan Smith (@Antwansmith25) April 16, 2023

“It shows all the coaches that I’m just not a one-trick pony,” Smith said of running track. “I can do multiple things, I’m very athletic, I’m fast, I can move, I can do all those things… It just puts me in a category than everybody else.”

With the summer quickly approaching, Smith is starting to hear more and more from interested programs. Already in the month of April, he’s taken unofficial visits to North Carolina, NC State, and Duke. Next up, he intends to visit Kentucky and Minnesota, although no dates have been locked in just yet. The likes of Boston College, South Florida, and Vanderbilt have also offered.

Smith plans to early enroll at whichever school he commits to, so there’s a good chance he makes a decision this summer.