Antone Smith
Encyclopedia
Antoine Kemp-Smith is an American football
running back
for the Atlanta Falcons
of the National Football League
. He was signed by the Detroit Lions
as an undrafted free agent in 2009. He played college football
at Florida State
.
Smith has also been a member of the Minnesota Vikings
and Houston Texans
.
, Smith led Pahokee to the state football title and rushed for 276 yards and three touchdowns in the championship game, finishing with 2,814 yards and 44 touchdowns on the season. During his four-year high school playing career he compiled over 6000 rushing yards.
Smith was ranked as the top running back recruit in the country and the number 25 player overall by Rivals.com. He was a Parade
All-American, the Palm Beach County Player of the Year, the Old Spice
National Player of the Year, and was voted as Mr. Football for the state of Florida. Smith was voted the MVP of the Nike
Camp and while there recorded an extremely fast 40-yard dash time of 4.25. He played in the CalFlorida Bowl and was named the offensive MVP.
and Leon Washington
. He carried the ball 36 times for 188 yards (5.2 avg) and three touchdowns, and was third on team behind Booker and Washington in carries, rushing yards, and yards per game. In Florida State's 55-24 blowout win over Duke University
, Smith ran seven times for a season-high 76 yards and two touchdown
s, the second of which came on a season-long 45-yard run where he eluded multiple Duke defenders. Smith ended his career with 2,253 rushing yards and 26 touchdowns.
, Smith attended a Detroit Lions
minicamp on a tryout basis in early May. He was signed by the Lions as an undrafted free agent on May 8, 2009 and released on July 27.
on August 5, 2009 after the team waived wide receiver
Aundrae Allison
and was released by the team on September 1.
' practice squad on October 21, 2009 after the team waived quarterback
D. J. Shockley
. After his contract expired following the season, the Falcons re-signed Smith to a future contract on January 4, 2010.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
for the Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was signed by the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
as an undrafted free agent in 2009. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Florida State
Florida State Seminoles football
The Florida State Seminoles football team represents Florida State University in college football. The Florida State Seminoles compete in NCAA Division I-FBS and are members of the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
.
Smith has also been a member of the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
and Houston Texans
Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. The team is currently a member of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
Early years
In his senior year at Pahokee High SchoolPahokee High School
The Pahokee High School is a historic school in Pahokee, Florida. It is located at 900 Larrimore Road. On November 15, 1996, The Old Pahokee High School building was added to the U.S...
, Smith led Pahokee to the state football title and rushed for 276 yards and three touchdowns in the championship game, finishing with 2,814 yards and 44 touchdowns on the season. During his four-year high school playing career he compiled over 6000 rushing yards.
Smith was ranked as the top running back recruit in the country and the number 25 player overall by Rivals.com. He was a Parade
Parade (magazine)
Parade is an American nationwide Sunday newspaper magazine, distributed in more than 500 newspapers in the United States. It was founded in 1941 and is owned by Advance Publications. The most widely read magazine in the U.S., Parade has a circulation of 32.2 million and a readership of nearly 70...
All-American, the Palm Beach County Player of the Year, the Old Spice
Old Spice
Old Spice is a prominent American brand of male grooming products. It is manufactured by Procter & Gamble, which acquired the brand in 1990 from the Shulton Company.-History:...
National Player of the Year, and was voted as Mr. Football for the state of Florida. Smith was voted the MVP of the Nike
Nike, Inc.
Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
Camp and while there recorded an extremely fast 40-yard dash time of 4.25. He played in the CalFlorida Bowl and was named the offensive MVP.
College career
In his freshman year at Florida State, Smith saw action in nine games, playing behind Lorenzo BookerLorenzo Booker
Lorenzo Booker is an American football running back for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Florida State....
and Leon Washington
Leon Washington
Leon Washington is an American football running back for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New York Jets in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football at Florida State. He is married to Charity Washington with whom he has a son...
. He carried the ball 36 times for 188 yards (5.2 avg) and three touchdowns, and was third on team behind Booker and Washington in carries, rushing yards, and yards per game. In Florida State's 55-24 blowout win over Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
, Smith ran seven times for a season-high 76 yards and two touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
s, the second of which came on a season-long 45-yard run where he eluded multiple Duke defenders. Smith ended his career with 2,253 rushing yards and 26 touchdowns.
Detroit Lions
After going undrafted in the 2009 NFL Draft2009 NFL Draft
The 2009 NFL Draft was the seventy-fourth annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. The draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 25 and 26, 2009. The draft consisted of two rounds on the first day starting at 4:00...
, Smith attended a Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
minicamp on a tryout basis in early May. He was signed by the Lions as an undrafted free agent on May 8, 2009 and released on July 27.
Minnesota Vikings
Smith was signed by the Minnesota VikingsMinnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
on August 5, 2009 after the team waived wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
Aundrae Allison
Aundrae Allison
Aundrae Akeem Allison is an American football wide receiver for the Virginia Destroyers of the United Football League. He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at East Carolina.He has also been a member of the New York Jets, and...
and was released by the team on September 1.
Atlanta Falcons
Smith was signed to the Atlanta FalconsAtlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
' practice squad on October 21, 2009 after the team waived quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
D. J. Shockley
D. J. Shockley
Donald Eugene "D. J." Shockley is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the seventh round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football at Georgia....
. After his contract expired following the season, the Falcons re-signed Smith to a future contract on January 4, 2010.