Arkansas Football Countdown: 36 Days - Kiero Small "The Facemask Assassin"

This day is a big one for me. It's the last day of my final internship of graduate school. That's good and all, but it's also a day I have been looking forward to since we started this countdown 63 days ago. 36 days until kickoff means profiling my favorite Razorback, Kiero Small.

The Human Wrecking Ball encapsulates what Bret Bielema is looking for in a football player, and by all accounts did the program proud in representing the Hogs at SEC Media Days. Bielema speaks highly of Kiero and how he goes about his business on and off the field, which means a lot after only knowing Small for a few months.

Here is a two-part chat from ESPN's Edward Aschoff with Keiro at SEC Media Days.

Last season the Baltimore native suffered a season-ending foot injury during a non-contact drill. While he was forced to endure it from the sideline, Kiero remained a leader within the locker room. He was given a medical redshirt thus affording us and all college football fans one more year of Kiero. EDITOR'S NOTE: The NCAA got something right!

At 5-foot-10 and a beefy 242-pounds is one of the top fullbacks in the country and will be showcased in a run-based offense this season. His stature allows him to get at a lower pad level and deliver punishing hits to those who stand in the way.

And because of this, Kiero's gotten more publicity through the blocks he transmits on defenders than anything else. They're the kind of blows that make you jump off of your couch and high-five your buddies or run back from the kitchen painfully lost in the celebration asking, "What happened? What did I miss?"

Kiero has lost count of the number of facemasks he has destroyed (his own and opponents) during his tenure at Arkansas, and at one point the equipment staff was keeping a tally.

Kiero Small face mask tally. After "20 something" last year, up to 3 this year. "It's a little bit easier to bend them at fullback"

— ARKTD2012 (@ARKTD2012) August 10, 2012

Watch this guy flourish this season doing what he does best, blocking. How many players thrive off of blocking so that the guy behind them can receive the laud and praise. Kiero understands the concept of "team" its importance towards a successful season.

You can follow Kiero on Twitter @KieroSmall36

And without further adieu, here's what you came to see:

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A native of Arkansas now calling the Hogs from yonder in Georgia, you can follow Graham on Twitter @grahamreaves or read his blog, On My Mind In Georgia.