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Kentucky defensive lineman Nic Smith has passed away at the age of 20, the university announced Monday. No cause of death was provided.
Smith had just completed a redshirt freshman year with the Wildcats after signing with the program as part of the 2025 recruiting class. He never got the chance to see the field in a meaningful role.
Head coach Will Stein released a statement Monday morning.
“Today our hearts are broken. Our thoughts and prayers are with Nic’s family, friends, teammates and everyone who knew and loved him. This is a tremendous loss for our program and university community. We will continue to support one another and honor his memory.”
Smith grew up in Loganville, Georgia, where he was a two-sport athlete at Walnut Grove High School, competing in both football and basketball. As a senior, he racked up 11.0 tackles for loss and two sacks, drawing attention from programs across the Southeast.
A three-star recruit, Smith held offers from Georgia Tech and Georgia Southern before ultimately choosing Kentucky.
Beyond football, the Kentucky website listed his nickname as “Happy” and described him in three words: happy, friendly, and nice. He also had a passion for cooking and had plans to one day start his own food business.
He was 20 years old.
