Selected in the fifth round (144th overall) of the 2014 NFL Draft, Telvin Smith didn't have to venture far from home to launch his professional career. Fresh off anchoring Florida State's defense during their 2013 BCS National Championship campaign, the Valdosta, Georgia native brought rare, sideline-to-sideline speed and instantly injected energy into Jacksonville's linebacker corps.

Despite being undersized for an NFL weakside linebacker, Smith erased any concerns about his frame through relentless diagnostics and elite closing speed. He became an automatic tackling machine, racking up over 100 combined tackles in each of his five seasons in Jacksonville. His speed enabled him to drop effortlessly into coverage, shoot gaps on blitzes, and chase down ball carriers across the turf.

Smith's high point came in the memorable 2017 season. Serving as a primary engine for the aggressive "Sacksonville" defense, he recorded 102 tackles, three interceptions, and returned a fumble 52 yards for a touchdown. His dynamic play earned him a Pro Bowl invitation and Second-Team AP All-Pro honors while helping guide the Jaguars to an AFC South title. In the postseason, he raised his game even further, returning a Ben Roethlisberger fumble 50 yards for a score in Jacksonville's thrilling 45–42 divisional round victory over Pittsburgh.

Smith backed that up with a career-high 134 combined tackles in 2018. However, his football journey took a sudden, tragic turn in May 2019 when he unexpectedly announced he was stepping away from the game at age 28 to focus on his personal life. Subsequent legal troubles and off-field incidents permanently closed the door on a comeback.

Over his five-year career, Smith had 587 combined tackles (446 solo), 52 tackles for loss, 9.0 interceptions for 130 return yards and two touchdowns, 26 passes defended, six fumble recoveries (one touchdown return), 7.5 sacks, and five forced fumbles.