Chris Smith was famously known as an American professional football player. He played as a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL). Chris was also elected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the fifth round of the 2014 NFL Draft. He also played for the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns. Chris Smith NFL attended college at Arkansas where he played for them. In this post, we have more details about his career.
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Chris Smith Biography
William Smith was a football player born on February 11, 1992, in Mount Ulla, North Carolina, who had a passion for the sport since he was a child. Smith played as a linebacker and defensive end during his time at West Rowan High School, where he had remarkable stats during his senior year with 98 tackles and 16.5 sacks, earning him recognition and accolades.
Smith’s exceptional performance in high school led him to be recruited by the University of Arkansas, where he played for four years from 2010 to 2013. During his time there, Smith had impressive numbers of tackles and sacks each year, with 52 tackles and 9.5 sacks during his junior year and 37 tackles and 8.5 sacks during his senior year. These numbers earned him a second-team All-SEC selection in 2013.
In the 2014 NFL Draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars selected Smith in the fifth round with the 159th overall pick. He played six games with the Jaguars in his rookie year and recorded three tackles. During the 2015 season, he played in all 16 games, starting in eight of them, and had 3.5 sacks, showcasing his potential as a pass rusher. However, the Jaguars released him in 2016, and he joined the Cincinnati Bengals.
At the Bengals, Smith was able to display his skills as a pass rusher, recording a career-high of three sacks in 2017. After his contract expired, he signed with the Cleveland Browns, where he played for one year and had a forced fumble, two passes defended, and a sack. In 2019, the Browns waived him, and he signed with the Carolina Panthers, but he was released during the preseason.
In August 2020, Smith had a tryout with the Las Vegas Raiders and was later signed to their practice squad. During the 2020 season, he was elevated to the active roster several times before being signed to the active roster in December.
In 2021, Smith signed with the Baltimore Ravens, but he was released during the preseason and later signed to their practice squad. In September of that year, he was signed to the Houston Texans’ practice squad and was eventually promoted to the active roster. Unfortunately, on April 17, 2023, Smith’s life was tragically cut short when he passed away at the age of 31.
What college did Chris Smith NFL attend?
Smith played college football at Arkansas and was selected as a second-team all-conference defensive end in 2013. At college, Chris Smith played for the Arkansas Razorbacks.