SWFL quarterback joins exclusive club of football greats

One of Southwest Florida’s top athletes is being mentioned in the same breath as some of the greatest football players of all time.

Bishop Verot quarterback Carter Smith is this year’s Gatorade Florida Football Player of the Year.

The award puts him among the ranks of Emmit Smith, Derrick Henry and others from Florida.

Future Hall of Famers have won Player of the Year in their respective states, including Peyton Manning.

“To even be considered as, I don’t want to say equal, but good enough to be recognized with them, I mean that’s special,” Smith said. “Hopefully I can continue to keep getting recognized along with people like that.”

The Michigan commit had no idea this award was coming his way until he woke up on Wednesday morning.

“I was sleeping and then I woke up to my phone buzzing. I started scrolling through trying to figure out what it was and then I saw it and I was like, ‘Woah! That’s pretty big.’

Pretty big nationally, statewide and for Southwest Florida.

Smith joins Earnest Graham, who won the award in 1997, as the only winners from SWFL.

The Mariner and University of Florida star played eight years with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

“Mr. Graham was a pretty special player, so to be recognized up there with him means a lot.”

Being mentioned alongside athletic icons encourages Smith that one day he too could be legendary.

“There’s a lot of special players around here, so it means a lot. That definitely kind of keeps me focused on the path.”

This season, the four-star threw for more than 2,000 yards and had 29 scores. On the ground he had more than 700 yards and found the endzone 19 times.

Gatorade recognizes a Player of the Year from all 50 states and Washington, D.C.

Each winner receives a grant to donate to a social impact partner of their choice.

Smith says he plans to donate the money to Valerie’s House, an organization near and dear to his family’s heart.