Washington State’s kickoff-return spark with sneaky versatility
Smithson is the kind of roster piece coaches love: in the 2024 season, he logged 26 kick returns for 599 yards at 23.0 per return, and he’s tied for fifth in WSU history with 46 career kickoff returns and sixth with 1,054 career kick return yards[1]. He brings proven special-teams explosiveness, plus some offensive utility from earlier seasons, which makes him more than a one-trick highlight reel[1][13]. The big selling point is field-flipping juice, not gaudy receiving volume—if a team wants a reliable returner with toughness and game-changing burst, he’s the kind of fit that quietly swings field position[1][13].
