Arkansas’s top-10 punter prospect Connor Smith brings big-leg upside, but an ACL injury clouds Year 1
Connor Smith, a 2026 Arkansas commit from Ridgeview (Va.), was rated the No. 9 punter in his class by Kohl’s Kicking and showed scholarship-level power with a 68-yard, 5.01-second hang-time bomb at the 2025 Southern Spring Showcase. He’s a 6-3, 180-pound specialist with elite leg talent, long levers, and combo value on kickoffs and field goals, which makes him more than just a one-trick punter. The catch: Arkansas has said Smith is out for the season with an ACL injury, so his immediate impact is on hold.
