Nicholas Smith has known he’s wanted to be a Kentucky Wildcat for a while. The 6-foot-7, 255-pound edge rusher from Walnut Grove (Loganville, GA) told KSR+ that he is committing to Kentucky.
Smith was sold on Kentucky’s pitch a long time ago. His official visit this weekend was just about getting his parents on board.
“I’ll enroll pretty early, start having my name out there, work early, and get the rotation with some guys,” Smith said. “I want to show everybody what I’m capable of doing. That’ll just depend on how I work, my mindset, and all of that. I can’t just speak it. I have to put in the work and show everybody I’m that dog.”
The decision for Smith came down to how much effort the Kentucky staff was putting into his recruitment. He has a strong bond with a number of the coaches.
“We have a good connection,” he said. “They’re all talking to me, seeing what’s up, and asking how I’m doing. It’s not just about football. He’s looking at it from the standpoint of my life besides football.”
Having His Family See His Future Home
Nicholas Smith’s official visit to Kentucky isn’t for him. It’s for his family.
“I’ve already been up there before,” Smith said. “It’s for my family to see where I’m going to be playing for the next four years. They want to see how it is. I’m not going to say I’ve seen it all, but I’ve seen it pretty much. I’m ready to be a Wildcat.”
Smith is the 10th commit in Kentucky’s 2025 recruiting class. He doesn’t know any of the other commits but hopes to meet some during his official visit, as well as some potential commits.
“Hopefully, there will be some other guys there who are thinking about committing and we’ll play football together,” he said. “I’m excited about that.”
The Deone Walker Comparison
Kentucky’s defensive line coach Anwar Stewart has talked to Nicholas Smith several times about the role he’d play at UK. He’s even been compared to projected first-round NFL Draft pick Deone Walker.
“I’m very much violent and vicious,” Smith said. “I’ll be one of those guys people talk about as a dog. I want people to say that I will be drafted in the first round. I’m not going to say I’m a perfect player, but I’ve definitely got the talent, the heart, and skills for it.”
Smith isn’t currently ranked by the On3 Industry Ranking. 247Sports is theonly major media recruiting service to rank him.
“I’m a vicious dog out there,” Smith said. “You’d think I’m some kind of mean person the way I play. I’m a very nice guy and a respectful young man. You can definitely tell that I’m a dog, but I also can be respectful.”
Smith takes a lot of pride in his sportsmanship. He plays hard but is willing to give respect where it’s due.
“If you make a good play, I’m going to give you props,” Smith said. “Then, I’m going to come back, play even harder, and dominate the next play. I make mistakes because I’m not perfect.”
With his commitment out of the way, Smith has three goals for his time at Kentucky. He’s had these same goals since he started high school.
“My number one goal is to get a degree,” he said. “Then, I want to become a starter and get drafted in the first round.”
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