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Diamars 20 aPriL 2021

Guard ready for NFL draft eager to explain blood clot issue

( AP) - Trey Smith has no a 31-inch vertical leap and
problem explaining his did the three-cone drill in a
situation, no matter how time of 7.43 seconds to show
many times he has to de- off his athleticism.
tail his history of blood
clots. Smith also bench-pressed
225 pounds 32 times, raising
The Tennessee guard wants more than $4,100 for Uplift-
to make sure no NFL coach ing Athletes to help people
or general manager has any dealing with rare diseases.
unanswered questions about He wound up doing two
his availability to play before more reps than he hoped for,
the upcoming draft. inspired by people he trained
with.
“I'll explain it a million times
if I have to,” Smith said. “For them, it means the
“Because it’s just something world,” Smith said. “But for
unique. It’s something that’s us as athletes, with the plat-
different. At the end of the form we have, I think it’s
day, I want to play football something we should do.”
at a high level. I want to go
to the NFL, so I have no is- That's nothing new for
sue whatsoever helping peo- Smith, who won the Torch-
ple understand what I went bearer award for serving
through and making them Tennessee with overall ex-
comfortable with it as well.” tions that allowed him to the country to see. back from former Tennessee cellence. Smith also joined
start 12 of 13 games in 2019 offensive lineman Ramon some fellow athletes in lead-
The 6-foot-5, 321-pound at left guard, and he earned “They’ll sort of see the plan Foster, who played 11 sea- ing an anti-racism march on
Smith played 42 games at first-time All-Southeastern we have set and (have) a lot sons at guard with the Pitts- campus last August.
Tennessee even while dealing Conference honors. more confidence in it as burgh Steelers.
with his condition. Smith was confident enough well,” Smith said. “I know Still, the first and biggest
in the plan that he played in that’s something we haven’t “So just being able to be in question about Smith is his
Blood clots in his lungs kept each of the Vols' 10 games been completely open about communication with him, health.
him out of spring practice during the 2020 season in- in the past due to my own and just get knowledge and
in 2018, but blood thinners stead of opting out during privacy. But at the end of information from a veteran “Hopefully it will be a way
allowed him to eventually the pandemic. He also was the day, it’s a plan that will that played in the NFL that to pioneer ground for people
return. He missed the final All-SEC for a second straight not only sustain itself in the long, I mean, I want to soak with my issues, that have
five games that season when season. NFL, but have a lot of suc- it up like a sponge, man,” blood-clotting issues and
doctors worried Smith had a cess as well.” Smith said. things of that nature,” Smith
recurrence of blood clots be- That's why Smith has no said. “Then you look at people
fore extended testing made concerns about being able NFL scouts and coaches got Teams have talked with Smith like David Andrews, Russell
them confident that hadn’t to play in the NFL. He says a closer look at Smith both at about playing both tackle and Okung, they’ve been playing
happened. teams that do their research the Senior Bowl in January guard and whether he pre- and they had very similar is-
will understand, especially if and at Tennessee's pro day fers the left or right side. At sues that I’ve had. We’re talk-
Doctors and specialists put they talk to the doctors and in March. Before the Senior Tennessee's pro day, he ran a ing about very high-level of-
together a plan and medica- specialists Smith went across Bowl, Smith got some feed- 5.1-second 40-yard dash, had fensive linemen.”

Cora says some Red Sox players getting vaccine at Fenway

(AP) — Red Sox manager ots’ Day game. “I’m not go- in Massachusetts is eligible had answers.”
Alex Cora said some of his “Today, there’s some guys ing to tell you how many.” to receive the vaccine. Cora
players were getting their that are going to get the vac- said he already got his first Cora said he was confident
first COVID-19 vaccina- cine,” Cora said before the The state announced Mon- shot and will get his second the Red Sox would get to the
tion at Fenway Park on Red Sox hosted the White day that anyone 16 and older one with another group on 85% vaccinated threshold
Monday. Sox in Boston’s annual Patri- who lives, works or studies Wednesday. that Major League Baseball
would like to see each club
“I did it not only for myself, reach. MLB and the players’
but I want to protect the association sent a memo to
people around me,” he said. players and staff last month
“We’re doing it for the right that said some of the sport’s
reason. This is more than coronavirus-related restric-
baseball.” tions would be relaxed once
85% of a team’s major league
Cora said there’s been a lot of players and primary field staff
discussion about whether to are vaccinated.
get vaccinated.
For the first time since the
“I’m not going to get into Red Sox started playing their
specifics, but there were a lot annual Patriots’ Day game in
of good questions,” he said. 1959, Monday’s contest was
“We got guys that have fami- not in held in conjunction
lies and have kids already to with the Boston Marathon,
guys that are trying to have which was moved to a Oct.
kids. There were a lot of 11 due to the state’s limits on
good questions and we pro- crowds because of the pan-
vided them with people that demic.
are expects on this and they