Throughout the summer, the Northwestern Oklahoma State Athletic Department has been announcing Rangers that Ranger fans can expect to make direct impacts on their team's success. These athletes are leaders for their respective sports and will be looking to contribute to the rise of Northwestern Athletics during the 2017-2018 school year.

Junior Horatio Smith burst onto the scene for the Rangers' offense in 2016 following a freshman season that showcased the potential the wide receiver possessed. The Amarillo, Texas, native finished first on the team in receptions (48) and receiving yards (781) on his way to a Second Team All-GAC selection.

Smith finished the season ranked in the Top 10 in the Great American Conference in five separate offensive categories, including averaging a league-leading 149.5 all-purpose yards per contest. Smith posted these all-conference type of numbers despite missing one full game and parts of other games due to nagging injuries.

His best performance of the season came back on Sept. 17 on the road against Henderson State in which he logged a total of 206 all-purpose yards that included 84 receiving yards and 122 kickoff return yards.

With the graduation of record-setting quarterback Reid Miller, the starter, come Week 1 this fall, will be guaranteed one of the conference's most explosive weapons on the outside in Smith. His development over the off-season has been substantial and head coach Matt Walter is excited to see him establish himself as an elite player in the conference.

"Last season Horatio came in and built off the production he had as a freshman in leading the GAC in all-purpose yardage and providing 11 scores," coach Walter said. "He has truly developed into a weapon that can score from anywhere on the field in a multitude of ways. I look for Horatio to continue to develop and mature as a football player so that he can continue to build off all his production for our team. Through this offseason and summer program, Horatio has gotten bigger and become more explosive, which should lead to an even more dynamic season for him. He has also become a better student of the game, which should help him better understand what defenses are trying to do to defend him. We are truly excited to see how Horatio's hard work is going to pay off for the team this season."

Smith and company will hit the road to Arkadelphia, Arkansas, to take on the Tigers of Ouachita Baptist on Thursday, Aug. 31, at 6 p.m. in the first game of the 2017 season.