The Green Bay Packers have a new weapon in their special teams arsenal, and his name is Trey Smack. Selected in the sixth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, the Florida kicker has already caught the eye of new special teams coordinator Cam Achord. But what exactly stood out about this young leg?
"Straight ball. Accuracy. His ball doesn't move a lot," Achord said on Monday, cutting straight to the chase. It's a simple philosophy, but in the unpredictable world of NFL kicking—especially in the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field—it's a game-changer.
Smack set a school record at Florida with 10 made field goals from 50 yards or beyond, and there's even video of him drilling a 65-yarder indoors. Impressive, right? But Achord isn't chasing highlight reels. He's looking for consistency, and Smack delivered that too, hitting 13 of 16 attempts from under 50 yards in his final collegiate season.
"I don't need the guy 65 yards, personally," Achord explained. "I want the guy that's going to put it through consistently from 55. We're playing in Green Bay, we're going to play in elements. You're not going to need the 60-yard ball all the time. You're going to need the 45-yard ball with a 14 mile per hour crosswind. His ball not moving was definitely a big part."
In the world of kicking, a straight ball means fewer variables. It's the product of rock-solid fundamentals, and when you're battling a stiff Wisconsin wind or a frozen football, that reliability is worth its weight in gold. Achord, who previously coached kickers in New England and New York, isn't worried about Smack's transition from the Florida sunshine to the Green Bay chill.
"It's more made up than it is," Achord said of the cold-weather concerns. "To me, it's more about their mindset and learning how to play their ball in the wind and the elements than it is the cold weather. We're going to go kick cold footballs. We'll get used to that."
Smack will enter a heated competition this summer, battling veteran Brandon McManus—the team's kicker since October 2024—and Lucas Havrisik, who booted a franchise-record 63-yard field goal while McManus was sidelined last season. For Achord, a three-man battle at kicker is nothing new, and he's ready to see who rises to the occasion. Whether Smack's straight ball wins the job or not, one thing is clear: the Packers are betting on precision over power.