Smith Tabbed to Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Preseason Watch List

Credit to Tyler Pounds | Associate Director, Athletics Communications – 12thman.com

TYLER, Texas – Texas A&M football’s Ainias Smith was named to the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Preseason Watch List, announced Thursday by SPORTyler and the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Selection Committee.

Smith, a Missouri City, Texas, native enters his fifth season with the Aggies and was recently ranked No. 67 in the ESPN top 100 list for 2023. He also garnered Preseason All-SEC recognition earning first-team all-purpose, second-team return specialist and third-team wide receiver accolades. Last season, the versatile athlete started the first four games of the season before suffering a season-ending injury. He earned the Community Service Award and the Strength & Conditioning Offensive Aggie Award at the annual team banquet.

In 2021, Smith started all 12 games and served as a season-long team captain, while leading the Aggies with 47 receptions and six touchdown receptions. Designated as the team’s primary punt returner, he registered 259 yards on 23 returns, including a 95-yard touchdown return against South Carolina. Smith finished the campaign second on the team with 509 yards receiving and third with 794 all-purpose yards.

During his career in Aggieland, Smith has totaled 2,804 all-purpose yards and has caught a pass in 27 consecutive games, dating back to the 2019 LSU game.

The Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award recognizes the top offensive player in Division I football who also exhibits the enduring characteristics that define Earl Campbell: integrity, performance, teamwork, sportsmanship, drive, community and tenacity; specifically, tenacity to persist and determination to overcome adversity and injury in pursuit of reaching goals. In addition, the nominee must meet one or more of the following criteria: born in Texas and/or graduated from a Texas High School and/or played at a Texas-based junior college or four-year college.

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