Trey Smith film from Week 1 proves Chiefs got an absolute steal (Video)

NFL analyst Brian Baldinger commented on how rookie right guard Trey Smith is an absolute steal for the Kansas City Chiefs’ offensive line.

While there were several severe issues that plagued the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV — including some of Patrick Mahomes’ poor decisions — none were more amplified than the Chiefs’ need for offensive line improvement.

So when the Chiefs headed into the offseason following the loss, the offensive line was the first thing the team sought to fix.

Entering the 2021 season, the Chiefs are now protecting Mahomes with an entirely new offensive line. Joe Thuney, Kyle Long, Orlando Brown Jr. Creed Humphrey and Trey Smith pave the way for Mahomes, and sixth-round pick Smith is already proving his worth as an NFL starter.

Rookie right guard Trey Smith is “an incredible find” for the Kansas City Chiefs

Known for his trademark film breakdowns, Baldinger described how Trey Smith powers through a skillful block with “a Howitzer for a right hand.”

“He keeps his victims right on the line of scrimmage, and it’s like play after play,” Baldinger emphasized over the Week 1 film footage.

The reason that the former Tennessee Volunteer fell in the NFL Draft wasn’t because of his on-filed performance: off-field health concerns during college kept Smith low on draft boards. The 22-year-old battled blood clots in his lungs during his freshman and sophomore seasons. With blood thinners, Smith is able to play at the NFL level, something he has pointed out fellow veterans have done with outstanding success.

“Hopefully it will be a way to pioneer ground for people with my issues, that have blood-clotting issues and things of that nature,” Smith said before the Chiefs drafted him. “Then you look at people like David Andrews, Russell Okung, they’ve been playing and they had very similar issues that I’ve had. We’re talking about very high-level offensive linemen.”

Baldinger isn’t the only one to notice Smith’s talents: Forbes’ Jeff Fedotin wrote that he was “one of the NFL’s best bargains” back in early August.

Smith’s NFL debut shows great promise for a rookie dedicated to constantly improving his game.

“There’s so much I have to work on (in) my game. I’m not even close,” Smith said during the preseason. “I’m always chasing perfection.”

Perfection is elusive, but if Smith continues honing his skills and stays healthy, he could very well be a key piece in a Chiefs Super Bowl LVI victory.