A year ago around this time, Anthony Smith was mainly a punter playing his first year of high school football for Huntingtown (Md.) High. Now he is headed to playing ACC football after announcing a verbal commitment to NC State football on Saturday.

Smith had played football in youth leagues growing up, but he had figured he was too small to go out for the high school team. Truth be told, he acknowledged, he also probably wasn’t feeling the sport too much at that time.