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25. Will Smith

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25. Will Smith

Will Smith had a spectacular college career where at Ohio State, he was an All-American who won the BCS Championship and was the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year.  New Orleans landed him with their 18thOverall Pick in 2004, and it was as a Saint where he played his entire career.

In his inaugural year in the NFL, the Defensive End was an All-Rookie and led the league in Forced Fumbles (6).  Smith was named to the Pro Bowl in 2006, and that year he had his first double-digit season in Sacks with 10.5.  Three years later, Smith had a 13 Sack year, and he was a member of the New Orleans Super Bowl win.  A torn ACL took him out of 2013, and he was released after the year.

Smith had 67.5 Sacks with 463 Tackles over his nine-year career. He tragically passed away in 2016 when he was shot and killed in an alcohol-related car crash.  Three years later, he was inducted into the Saints Ring of Honor.  He is also a member of the Siants Hall of Fame, having been inducted in 2016.

The Bullet Points

  • Position: Defensive End
  • Acquired: Selected in the 1st Round, 18th Overall in the NFL Draft 4/24/04.
  • Departed:

    Released 2/12/14.

  • Games Played: 139
  • Notable Statistics:

    120 Games Started
    2 Interceptions
    4 Interception Return Yards
    20 Forced Fumbles
    6 Fumble Recoveries
    -3 Fumble Recovery Yards
    67.5 Quarterback Sacks
    463 Combined Tackles
    329 Solo Tackles
    134 Assisted Tackles
    85 Tackles for Loss
    112 Quarterback Hits*
    62 Approximate Value

    8 Playoff Games
    1 Interception
    5 Interception Return Yards
    1 Forced Fumble
    24 Combined Tackles
    22 Solo Tackles
    2 Assisted Tackles
    5 Tackles for Loss
    7 Quarterback Hits*

    *Quarterback Hits became a statistic in 2006.

  • Played For: New Orleans Saints
  • Major Accolades and Awards:

    Super Bowl Champion (XLIV)
    Pro Bowl (2006)
    All-Rookie (2004)
    Most Forced Fumbles (2004)

Last modified on Friday, 09 September 2022 19:27

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