By: Joey Mullins
Samford Athletics
 
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Just within the last four years, Samford wide receiver Chandler Smith has gone from being a walk-on to one of the leaders of the offense.
               
Smith came to Samford from Walton High School in Marietta, Ga., in the fall of 2018 as a preferred walk-on. That season, he redshirted. The following season in 2019, Smith played in eight games as a backup wide receiver and on special teams. He caught seven passes for 71 yards that season.
               
Following the 2019 season, Smith was put on scholarship by Samford head coach Chris Hatcher. He said he is very appreciative of Hatcher awarding him a scholarship.
               
"I didn't have a scholarship here, I walked on the team, had a preferred walk-on opportunity," Smith said. "And then after my first season of actually playing, I earned a scholarship, and I am very grateful for that. It was after the 2019 season after one year playing and then going into that spring of that next year is when I earned the scholarship."
               
Chandler talked about how the coaches informed him that he had earned his scholarship.
               
"Coach Hatcher called me in there and he told me that I was going to be on scholarship and that I'd worked hard to earn it," Smith said. "And then he made the announcement in front of the whole team. It was actually the same time Kendall Watson got put on scholarship and now we're the two in the receiver room that are kind of the leaders, so that's pretty special."
               
Being awarded a scholarship is a big honor for a football player. Smith talked about how it felt to be put on scholarship after two seasons of being a walk-on.
               
"It felt great," Smith said. "All the hard work and all those times in high school when I didn't get any offers and then just to see that come into fruition and to be able to take some weight off of my parents' shoulders, I am very appreciative of it."
               
Smith, like most college football players, started playing at a young age. He said he always loved the game, so when he became old enough, he naturally wanted to start playing.
               
"I was nine years old, so in the third grade when I started playing," Smith said. "I would say it was more not just a single person that got me to start playing, it was just being around the game, watching the sport and loving the NFL and college football. My parents finally let me go out and put some pads on."
               
Smith played several other sports in addition to football, but he said football was always his favorite.
               
"Yeah, I played a whole bunch of sports," Smith said. "I played baseball, basketball, football, obviously. I even played some tennis and golf. So, yeah, I played a bunch of sports growing up, I loved playing sports. In high school it was mostly football, especially in the later part of my high school career," Smith said. "Early in high school I played basketball, I played on the golf team even. But my last two years of high school, it was just football."

While playing at Walton High School, Smith played both defensive back and wide receiver. As a senior, Smith caught 26 passes for 582 yards and six touchdowns. Smith said wide receiver was just a better fit than defensive back was for what he was good at doing on the field.

"Receiver was definitely my favorite," Smith said. "I think it just fits my skill set the most. That's what brought me here to Samford was to be able to play receiver in an offense like this where you're heavily involved. So, obviously, that's fun."

When he was looking at colleges, Smith said it just felt right when he visited Samford.

"I looked at some other small schools like Davidson, Presbyterian and then even some like App State, which was who I narrowed it down to," Smith said. "I don't really know what it was that attracted me to Samford, but it felt like something good when I visited here, and I think it ended up being God's plan for me to be here and to grow my faith in Him. So, I can see that's why I'm here now."

After being put on scholarship following the 2019 season, Smith and the Bulldogs had the 2020 fall season postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The team wound up playing a spring, SoCon-only season in the spring of 2021. Smith unfortunately had his season cut short early in the year.

"It felt weird when we started the season, but in that season I got injured in the first game," Smith said. "So, that was pretty frustrating, having to wait over a full year to play and then finally it came time to play and in that first game I got injured. So, I just had to support my guys."

Smith talked about how difficult it was to have to sit out six of the seven games during the spring season.

"It was definitely tough," Smith said. "And that was going to be my first season when I had a pretty big role in this offense. And so, obviously that was disappointing, but you know everything happens for a reason, and I was able to come back stronger and more motivated after that."

In the fall of 2021, Smith played in all 11 games, starting seven games at wide receiver. He caught 42 passes for 406 yards and two touchdowns. Through the first six games of the 2022 season, Smith is leading the team with 36 receptions for 397 yards and six touchdowns. His six receiving touchdowns so far this season are tied for 13th in the nation at the FCS level. Smith talked about how much he enjoys playing in the wide-open offense that Samford employs.

"It's great," Smith said. "I talk to some people who play receiver at other schools and they're a little jealous of us, knowing that we're kind of the engine of this offense, and as we go this offense goes. So, it's obviously a lot of fun to be in that role."

Smith has the option to play one more season due to COVID-19, but he said he has not completely decided exactly what he wants to do next season. He has earned his undergraduate degree in economics, and he is now in graduate school pursuing his Master's in Study of Law. He talked about what he wants to do once his playing career is over.

"I want to work in the sports law field," Smith said. "That's something that's really interesting to me and so if I can't make a full career out of playing sports, I might as well help people who can do that and help them in their careers. So that's what I'm looking forward to. Something along the lines of an agent or in-house council, anything like that is all interesting to me. So that's what I'm focused on pursuing after I have to hang up the cleats."

Whether Smith plays for Samford again next season or if he decides to go ahead and start his post football career, it is clear he has a bright future ahead of him.