OrTre Smith makes it easy on QBs, Wando coach says

Wando High football star and South Carolina recruiting target OrTre Smith is by all accounts a wide receiver. He’s 6-foot-4, 210 pounds and leads the Warriors offense by catching passes.

Yet he’s listed as an athlete by 247Sports, and while it’s likely just the kind of quirk that comes up in recruiting coverage, it’s not a designation he brushes off.

“I would say I’m an athlete because I like playing safety,” Smith said. “I don’t play as much as I would want to, I guess. It’s that I contribute more on offense.”

His coach, Jimmy Noonan, agreed with the assessment. Smith seems like an interesting option, so tall and athletic, to anchor the back end of a defense.

But his coaches have a simple reason why he won’t full-time.

“He needs to touch the football,” Noonan said. “We need to be innovative in how we get him the football. But he is very capable of playing on the other side and would probably be a situational player on defense like he was a year ago.”

If Smith had his druthers, he’d play every snap he could.

His future still seems tied to playing offense. He’s talked extensively with both Clemson’s and South Carolina’s receivers coaches through his recruitment. He’s got the size college teams crave with more than enough athleticism.

He’s also not picky about the job he’ll have at the next level.

“Whatever role they need me to play,” Smith said. “Special teams. But I’m a big guy, so outside receiver, go get the ball. I tell them that.”

Noonan has coached a number of players who went on to high-level college football, including Spring Valley alum Michael Boulware, who spent six years in the NFL.

Even he marvels at the skills Smith has and what he could bring whichever program he lands with.

“His catch radius is so large, big body,” Noonan said. “He’s great in space and his hands, a receiver like OrTre makes it easy on quarterbacks. The net is a lot larger when you’re dealing with someone like Tre.”

This story was originally published June 6, 2016 at 1:40 PM with the headline "OrTre Smith makes it easy on QBs, Wando coach says."