Trey Smith is one of the most well-respected offensive linemen in the SEC, and he carries a lot of leadership for the Tennessee program. So when he weighed in on the Cade Mays eligibility situation and his teammate’s delay in getting cleared by the NCAA, people listen.

Smith spoke with reporters on Tuesday and described the frustration with the Mays situation and him not getting a waiver from the NCAA to play immediately this season following his transfer from Georgia.

“To think that people sitting there in suits in an air-conditioned room, drinking coffee and pushing papers are saying this guy can or can’t play, I don’t get that,” Smith said, per Wes Rucker of 247Sports. “It doesn’t make sense to me.”

“To see a decision that shoots down a kid who puts in the work, it’s really asinine,” Smith added. “We’re talking about a season in which a year of eligibility doesn’t matter.”

Mays’ possible addition to an already strong Tennessee offensive line offers Smith something to look forward to this season.

“This is the first line I’ve really seen a large group of guys trying to put guys on their backs,” he said. “I think this line has great potential.”

H/T Rocky Top Insider.