Another honorary squad. Another Player of the Year prize for West Point’s Kobe Smith. This time, it’s the top spot on The Times’ 2015 All-Area Football Team. Smith, pictured above against East Limestone, was also the Overall MVP on the All-County Football Team and a Class 5A first-team athlete on the All-State Team. The rest of the big All-Area winners were Cold Springs’ Christian Crandall (Offensive MVP, top), Cullman’s Ethan McMinn (Defensive MVP, middle) and Cullman Christian’s Chase Cantrell (Coach of the Year, bottom).

Kobe Smith the football player is a very well-known fellow. With every carry, rushing yard and touchdown this past season, the superstar’s lore extended far beyond the walls of West Point High.

But there’s only a choice few who know the real Smith away from the gridiron.

Offensive lineman Drew Jenkins is one of them — and he’s more than willing to gab about his unabashed BFF. And who would be more qualified? After all, the two did recently enjoy a day trip to the zoo together.

You can’t make this stuff up.

You also can’t make up Smith’s long list of achievements during an out-of-this-world senior sendoff.

268 carries, including 40 on a single Friday night. A county-record 2,233 rushing yards, including a couple of 300-plus yard outings. 26 rushing touchdowns and 28 overall, including a season-high six against Hanceville.

And just one fumble. In the Warriors’ first game.

They played 11.

Sounds like the makings of The Times’ 2015 All-Area Football Team Player of the Year.

Jenkins, who’s been best buds with Smith since they had math together in the seventh grade, couldn’t agree more.

“He’s been a leader for us we’ve always just went with. He’s never led us wrong. Ever,” said the lineman, who graced the All-Area first team at the same position with his younger brother, Deven. “Kobe’s always been there for me, and I’ve always tried to be there for him, because he’s a phenomenal person to be around, in my opinion.”

A running back doesn’t have a special season like Smith’s without a worthy O-line — and West Point certainly had that covered this fall.

Most of the time.

Deakon Hembree and the elder Jenkins accidentally blocking each other against East Limestone doesn’t exactly qualify.

Smith’s yardage on the comical sequence, which was captured on camera and has made the rounds on social media?

About 25 yards.

Go figure.

“That just goes to show you Kobe’s always got our back,” Jenkins said. “We can’t do it without him, but he can do it without us.”

All-Area Player of the Year is Smith’s third accolade since the season ended. His first was All-County Overall MVP and second was All-State first-team status at athlete in Class 5A.

Smith’s deserving of every ounce of recognition, according to Jenkins.

“He’s worked his tail off. He’s the first one in the weight room. He’s the last one out,” he said. “He’s the first one to walk out there during a break and go, ‘All right, who hasn’t worked out yet? We all point at one kid, he goes over there and he’s like, ‘Hey, why aren’t you in the weight room?’ So he’s building our future, but he’s also working really hard for himself, too.”

With National Signing Day quickly approaching, Smith surprisingly hasn’t drawn much college interest. UNA is looking at the multi-sport student-athlete, and Jenkins said he and Smith are likely to visit Lindsey Lane College, an NAIA member in Kentucky, this month.

Jenkins has a funny sales pitch for schools that could benefit from Smith’s services.

“He did it with us,” he said. “Imagine what he’d do with good linemen.”

Cold Springs’ Christian Crandall was the runaway pick for All-Area Offensive MVP. Ethan McMinn edged Cullman teammate Justin Patterson for Defensive MVP, and Chase Cantrell was Coach of the Year after leading Cullman Christian to its first six-man state championship.

The previously released All-County Team was handpicked by Cullman County Schools’ seven coaches and comprised solely of players from their programs. The All-Area Team, on the other hand, was arranged by The Times’ sports staff with players from Addison and Cullman thrown into the mix.

West Point and Cullman topped the All-Area Team with six first-team selections apiece.

The Jenkins duo was joined by fellow Warriors Cameron Moore (athlete), Alex Hernandez (linebacker), Ryan Smith (defensive line) and Dalton Freeman (defensive back).

Patterson (linebacker) spearheaded a Cullman contingent including Brady Wix (defensive line), Hunter Brannon (offensive line), Caden Winn (receiver), Zach Glenn (defensive back) and Dalton Yerby (punter).

Good Hope was next in line with five first-team nods, followed by Cold Springs with four.

The Raiders were repped by Lee Whisenant (linebacker), Dakota Burney (defensive line), Dakota Morgan (offensive line), Austin Morris (defensive back) and Damian Rodriguez (kicker).

Drew McClendon (tight end), Nic Rollo (running back), Jonathan Campbell (offensive line) and Fisher Willoughby (defensive back) made the cut for the Eagles.

Hanceville landed three players on the first team. Addison, Fairview and Holly Pond each had one.

Branen Hurst (athlete), B.J. Smalls (running back) and Isaac Weissend (receiver) cracked the squad for the Dawgs.

Addison’s Levi Hammack (defensive line), Fairview’s Sambo Woods (receiver) and Holly Pond’s Michael Lambert (quarterback) rounded out the first team.

Vinemont was represented on the second team and Cullman Christian in the honorable mentions.

Patterson, the 2014 All-Area Player of the Year, closed out his career with three consecutive first-team selections. Smith was the 2014 All-Area Offensive MVP, and McMinn was a first-teamer. Hammack, Rollo, Willoughby and Woods are repeat first-team picks.

See The Times’ complete 2015 All-Area Football Team, including the second team and honorable mentions, below:

The Times’ 2015 All-Area Football Team

Player of the Year

Kobe Smith, West Point

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Offensive Player of the Year

Christian Crandall, Cold Springs

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Defensive Player of the Year

Ethan McMinn, Cullman

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Coach of the Year

Chase Cantrell, Cullman Christian

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First Team

Offense

QB – Michael Lambert, Holly Pond

RB – Nic Rollo, Cold Springs

RB – B.J. Smalls, Hanceville

WR – Caden Winn, Cullman

WR – Isaac Weissend, Hanceville

WR – Sambo Woods, Fairview

OL – Drew Jenkins, West Point

OL – Jonathan Campbell, Cold Springs

OL – Hunter Brannon, Cullman

OL – Deven Jenkins, West Point

OL – Dakota Morgan, Good Hope

TE – Drew McClendon, Cold Springs

K – Damian Rodriguez, Good Hope

ATH – Branen Hurst, Hanceville

ATH – Cameron Moore, West Point

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Defense

DL – Levi Hammack, Addison

DL – Ryan Smith, West Point

DL – Dakota Burney, Good Hope

DL – Brady Wix, Cullman

LB – Alex Hernandez, West Point

LB – Lee Whisenant, Good Hope

LB – Justin Patterson, Cullman

DB – Fisher Willoughby, Cold Springs

DB – Zach Glenn, Cullman

DB – Austin Morris, Good Hope

DB – Dalton Freeman, West Point

P – Dalton Yerby, Cullman

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Second Team

Offense

QB – Tanner Rusk, West Point

RB – Austin Harris, Fairview

RB – John Michael Dye, Vinemont

WR – Dylan Morton, Holly Pond

WR – Colby Nicholas, Vinemont

WR – Brandon Farley, West Point

OL – Chance Wisener, Cullman

OL – Andrew Morris, Fairview

OL – Jake Wilson, Holly Pond

OL – Austin Davis, Hanceville

OL – Ethan Hopson, Fairview

TE – Gage Bailey, Vinemont

K – Tristin Skinner, West Point

ATH – Caleb Jones, Holly Pond

ATH – Ben Robinson, Addison

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Defense

DL – Zeb Maze, Addison

DL – Chase Landrum, Cullman

DL – Justin Jones, Cold Springs

DL – Aaron O’Neil, West Point

LB – Logan Shugarts, Cullman

LB – Caleb Chambers, Fairview

LB – Matt Cofer, Good Hope

DB – Jose Orozco, Hanceville

DB – Garrett Boland, Vinemont

DB – Tyler Taunton, Cullman

DB – Jake Guthrie, Fairview

P – Ragan Ashley, Fairview

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Honorable Mentions

Addison – Noah Rice, Bryant Ridgeway, Micah James, Kaden Baker, Braxton Preuitt

Cold Springs – Cayde Elliott, Blake Harbison, Levi Harris, Jimmy McSpadden, Tyler Rollo

Cullman – Dawson Drake, Isaac Rodriguez, Ezra Burks, Caleb Lipsey, Garrett Cornelius

Cullman Christian – Luke Barlow, Brett Perry, Will Siegenthaler, Sam Vermillion, Jarett Anders

Fairview – Antonio Taylor, Logan Brooks, Jeremy Cox, Jorge Lemus, Ethan Waddell

Good Hope – Matthew Dixon, Matt Hancock, Austin Knight, James Wright, Austin McDonald

Hanceville – Kaine Yates, Romael Simmons, Andrew Alldredge, Tristin Cornelius, Tre Martin

Holly Pond – Alex Diaz, Zac Naler, Trever Brannon, McKinley Garrett, Luis Garcia

Vinemont – Oistin Cornelius, Luke Burch, Cody Stewart, Kristian Miasek, Jaythan Blanton

West Point – Tanner Young, Austin Smith, Kolton Easterwood, Khristian Thompson, Andrew Hamm