Tennessee football recruit whose dad played in NFL will transfer to Maryville from Bearden

Bearden football offensive lineman Brody Smith is moving to Blount County and will transfer to Maryville, Rebels’ Sports Information Director CJ Newton told Knox News. 

The 6-foot-6, 250-pound sophomore is the son of Lee Smith, an 11-year NFL tight end and former star at Powell, and will enroll at the school on Tuesday. 

Brody has offers from Tennessee, Penn State, Colorado and South Carolina, among others. At Bearden, he made the All-Region 2-6A team and helped the Bulldogs finish with a 9-4 record and reach the Class 6A quarterfinals. 

He also was the starting center for the basketball team that reached the Class 4A state sectional game. 

Lee Smith was selected 159th overall in the 2011 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots. He was released during training camp and claimed off waivers by the Buffalo Bills. He played for the Bills from 2011-14, the Oakland Raiders from 2015-18, the Bills again from 2019-20 and the Atlanta Falcons in 2021 before retiring.

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Lee Smith enrolled at Tennessee but never played for the Vols. His college football career was spent at Marshall after he was dismissed before his freshman season began. 

Maryville, which has won 17 TSSAA football championships, finished with a 7-5 record and went to the Class 6A second round last season. The Rebels lost to Bearden 21-20 in overtime of a regular season game.

Toyloy Brown III is a Knox News sports reporter. Email toyloy.brown@knoxnews.com. On X, formerly Twitter, @TJ3rd_.