Washington Huskies 2012 Evaluations: WR Kevin Smith

Nov 5, 2011; Seattle, WA, USA; Washington Huskies wide receiver Kevin Smith (8) runs with the ball after the kickoff during the game against the Oregon Ducks at Husky Stadium. Oregon defeated Washington 34-17. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

Statistics: 6 receptions for 68 yards and 0 touchdowns.

What He Did In 2012: Tore his ACL during bowl practice at the end of 2011 and spent the whole offseason recovering from that injury. Came back in time to open the season, but after recording all of his 2012 statistics in the first two games, he didn’t record a single catch for the rest of the year. Missing all of spring and fall camp before the season probably had a good deal to do with that, but the fact that he received playing time, and even caught some balls, in the first few games before dropping off leads me to believe that wasn’t it. Maybe he was still feeling some lingering issues associated with the knee that robbed him of some of his physical abilities, or maybe the coaches simply saw a lack of production for more traditional reasons and wanted to give other receivers a shot. Either way, Smith stopped seeing the field a lot as a receiver. That being said, he did continue to play special teams, and his acrobatic fumble recovery against Colorado was a beautiful thing. He also factored mildly into the return game.

What I Expect Of Him In 2013: I’m way too uncertain about Smith’s 2012 to have much confidence in predicting his 2013. If the knee, or other injuries, were still slowing him down throughout the year, perhaps he will be much improved after a full offseason to get himself back into the swing of things. If he was honestly passed on the depth chart by other receivers, then maybe it’s wrong to expect a big leap in his final season. And, to add on to the uncertainty is the trio of four-star freshmen wide receivers that will be joining the team in the fall. At least one or two of that trio will likely play in 2013, which could make it even tougher for Smith to find his way onto the field as a pass catcher.