Maryland Football: Terps Around The NFL
By Chris Bengel
Torrey Smith
Smith didn’t have to go far when he left Maryland for the NFL.
The former Terp was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens and ended up winning a Super Bowl with the team. However, the lure of a big contract was too much as Smith signed a five-year deal with the San Francisco 49ers. He was brought to the team to replace Michael Crabtree, who signed with the Oakland Raiders.
During his first season with the 49ers, Smith registered 33 catches for 663 and four touchdowns. While those numbers were career lows, he did record a career-best 20.1 yards-per-catch.
Through three games this season, Smith has caught nine passes for 106 yards and a touchdown. His best game came in Week 2 against the Carolina Panthers when he recorded three receptions for 55 yards and a touchdown. Shockingly enough, with Anquan Boldin gone, Smith still doesn’t lead the 49ers in all receiving categories. Jeremy Kerley has 18 catches for 202 yards and leads the team with 32 targets.
It’s obviously very early in the season. However, having a less-than-stellar quarterback like Blaine Gabbert under center doesn’t exactly bode well for Smith. With the type of offensive innovator that Chip Kelly, he going to need to find a way to get the former Terp move involved.