Will Smith (football player)
Encyclopedia
William Smith is an American football
defensive end
who currently plays for the New Orleans Saints
of the NFL
. He played college football
at Ohio State University
.
in Utica, New York
, Smith was a USA Today
All-America
n pick, and was rated by Prep Football Report as the best defensive line prospect in the state. As a senior he had 20 sack
s.
Smith was selected as the 18th pick in the 1st round of the 2004 NFL Draft
by the New Orleans Saints
. He had a successful rookie season with 30 tackles and 7.5 sacks. In 2005 he had 48 tackles and 8.5 sacks and played well enough that the Saints did not re-sign Darren Howard
thus making Smith the starter opposite Charles Grant
for the 2006 season. Smith is gradually establishing himself as one of the premier defensive ends in the NFL.
In his first season as a full-time starter, Smith became a leader of the defensive line and emerged as one of the NFL’s top defensive ends. He was voted to the Pro Bowl and finished tied for 14th in the NFL with a career-best 10.5 sacks. Smith played in 14 games, sitting out the finale with the Saints having clinched a playoff berth and also missing one contest with a knee injury. The club’s No. 1 pick in 2004 has been a force since his arrival in New Orleans, notching 33.5 sacks in four seasons. His 26.0 sacks in his first three season is the second-most in club history in so short a span (Charles Grant
, 27.5, 2002–04). Smith brings energy, toughness and a hard-nosed approach to each game, setting the tone for the entire defensive front, and he’s equally strong against the run. In his brief career, he has played in 62 games and posted 215 tackles (156 solo) and 13 forced fumbles.
In 2006, he was named to his first Pro Bowl
as a starter.
On December 2, 2008, he received a four-game suspension for use of a diuretic
, which can be used a masking agent
for steroid
use. It is believed that the diuretic was found in a weight-loss supplement that he had been taking. Smith was not allowed to return to the active roster until December 29, 2008.
Gregg Williams
, Smith has had a very solid year. After 15 games, he has 13.0 sacks, 49 tackles, 3 forced fumbles and one interception and was honorable mention All-Pro by AP and SN.
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...
defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
who currently plays for the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
of the NFL
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 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 Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
.
High school career
Smith was born in Queens, New York to William and Lisa Smith. At Proctor High SchoolThomas R. Proctor High School
Thomas R. Proctor High School is a public high school in Utica, New York. The school is in Oneida County and the current school principal is Steven Falchi. There are 164 full-time teachers and 2,566 students. -Athletic Department:...
in Utica, New York
Utica, New York
Utica is a city in and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 62,235 at the 2010 census, an increase of 2.6% from the 2000 census....
, Smith was a USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n pick, and was rated by Prep Football Report as the best defensive line prospect in the state. As a senior he had 20 sack
Quarterback sack
In American football and Canadian football, a sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass, or when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and the intent of what he was going to do is unclear...
s.
NFL career
430-pound bench press. 585-pound squat. 325-pound power clean.Smith was selected as the 18th pick in the 1st round of the 2004 NFL Draft
2004 NFL Draft
The 2004 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 24-25, 2004 at the theater at Madison Square Garden...
by the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
. He had a successful rookie season with 30 tackles and 7.5 sacks. In 2005 he had 48 tackles and 8.5 sacks and played well enough that the Saints did not re-sign Darren Howard
Darren Howard
Darren M. Howard is an American football defensive end. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the second round of the 2000 NFL Draft. He played college football at Kansas State.Howard has also played for the Philadelphia Eagles....
thus making Smith the starter opposite Charles Grant
Charles Grant (American football)
Charles Gabriel Grant is an American football defensive end who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the first round of the 2002 NFL Draft...
for the 2006 season. Smith is gradually establishing himself as one of the premier defensive ends in the NFL.
In his first season as a full-time starter, Smith became a leader of the defensive line and emerged as one of the NFL’s top defensive ends. He was voted to the Pro Bowl and finished tied for 14th in the NFL with a career-best 10.5 sacks. Smith played in 14 games, sitting out the finale with the Saints having clinched a playoff berth and also missing one contest with a knee injury. The club’s No. 1 pick in 2004 has been a force since his arrival in New Orleans, notching 33.5 sacks in four seasons. His 26.0 sacks in his first three season is the second-most in club history in so short a span (Charles Grant
Charles Grant (American football)
Charles Gabriel Grant is an American football defensive end who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the first round of the 2002 NFL Draft...
, 27.5, 2002–04). Smith brings energy, toughness and a hard-nosed approach to each game, setting the tone for the entire defensive front, and he’s equally strong against the run. In his brief career, he has played in 62 games and posted 215 tackles (156 solo) and 13 forced fumbles.
In 2006, he was named to his first Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
as a starter.
2004
Turned in a strong rookie year with 59 tackles (41 solo), 7.5 sacks, a team-high six forced fumbles and a fumble recovery… Played in all 16 games and started four, recording a sack in seven games…Sack total ranked second in the NFL among rookies and fourth in club history for a rookie…Came on strong over the last eight games with 36 tackles, 5.5 sacks, four forced fumbles and a fumble recovery…Had six tackles (four solo), a sack and a forced fumble vs. San Francisco, Sept. 19…Had four tackles (all solo) and a sack at Atlanta, Nov. 28…First of a three-week stretch where he recorded a sack, including vs. Carolina, Dec. 5 and at Dallas, Dec. 12, when he also added a forced fumble…Dec. 19 at Tampa Bay had a key forced fumble in the fourth quarter that set up a game-winning march. Also made a downfield block earlier in the quarter to spring WR Michael Lewis for a 53-yard punt return…Equaled season-high with eight stops (seven solo), 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble with a fumble recovery at Carolina, 1/2/05…Posted a forced fumble in each of last four contests, the first player in club history to do so in four-straight contests.2005
Tied for eighth in the NFC with a team-leading 8.5 sacks, despite starting nine games and not becoming a full-time starter until the final six contests...Had at least one sack in six contests…Recorded 85 tackles, six pass defenses, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery…Tallied five tackles, a sack and a forced fumble at Carolina, Sept. 11. Marked the fifth-straight contest Smith had caused a fumble, the first player in club history to do so… Started at LDE vs. Atlanta, Oct. 16 and had eight tackles and a sack…Top performance came at New England, Nov. 20, with a career-high 12 tackles, 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble against defending Super Bowl Champions …Started at RDE at New York Jets, Nov. 27 and responded with six tackles and a sack…Started at LDE vs. Detroit, Dec. 24 and had six tackles, a sack and deflected a pass.2006
Started 14 games at RDE, declared inactive vs. San Francisco, Dec. 3, with a knee injury and vs. Carolina, Dec. 31, with the Saints having clinched a playoff berth…Posted five or more tackles in seven contests...Ranked 14th in the NFL with a career-high 10.5 sacks and added 56 tackles (35 solo), two pass defenses, three forced fumbles and a fumble recovery…Had a sack in each of the first three games, and added a fumble recovery at Green Bay, Sept. 17… Notched five stops, a career-high two sacks and a forced fumble at Tampa Bay, Nov. 5…Had a pair of sacks again at Atlanta, Nov. 26 – where he also deflected a pass and forced a fumble – and had two more sacks at Dallas, Dec. 10…Was also a force in the postseason, with eight stops in the NFC Divisional Playoffs vs. Philadelphia and seven tackles at Chicago in the NFC Championship.2007
Smith recorded a team high 7 sacks, 66 tackles and a safety.2008
The Saints agreed to terms with Smith on a six-year, $70 million contract with $26 million guaranteed. The deal makes him the 3rd highest paid defensive end in the NFL.On December 2, 2008, he received a four-game suspension for use of a diuretic
Diuretic
A diuretic provides a means of forced diuresis which elevates the rate of urination. There are several categories of diuretics. All diuretics increase the excretion of water from bodies, although each class does so in a distinct way.- Medical uses :...
, which can be used a masking agent
Masking agent
A masking agent is a reagent used in chemical analysis which reacts with chemical species that may interfere in the analysis.In sports a masking agent is used to hide or prevent detection of a banned substance or illegal drug like anabolic steroids or stimulants...
for steroid
Steroid
A steroid is a type of organic compound that contains a characteristic arrangement of four cycloalkane rings that are joined to each other. Examples of steroids include the dietary fat cholesterol, the sex hormones estradiol and testosterone, and the anti-inflammatory drug dexamethasone.The core...
use. It is believed that the diuretic was found in a weight-loss supplement that he had been taking. Smith was not allowed to return to the active roster until December 29, 2008.
2009
Under new Defensive CoordinatorDefensive coordinator
A defensive coordinator typically refers to a coach on a gridiron football team who is in charge of the defense. Generally, along with his offensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
Gregg Williams
Gregg Williams
Gregg Williams is the defensive coordinator of the New Orleans Saints and the former head coach of the Buffalo Bills. Considered one of the most respected defensive minds in the game, Williams is known for running aggressive, attacking 4-3 schemes that put heavy pressure on opposing...
, Smith has had a very solid year. After 15 games, he has 13.0 sacks, 49 tackles, 3 forced fumbles and one interception and was honorable mention All-Pro by AP and SN.
Career statistics
| 2004 | NO New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League .... |
16 | 40 | 30 | 10 | 7.5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| 2005 | NO New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League .... |
16 | 60 | 48 | 12 | 8.5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 2006 | NO New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League .... |
14 | 49 | 31 | 18 | 10.5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 2007 | NO New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League .... |
16 | 66 | 47 | 19 | 7.5 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| 2008 | NO New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League .... |
16 | 61 | 43 | 18 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2009 | NO New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League .... |
16 | 49 | 37 | 12 | 13 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2010 | NO New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League .... |
15 | 39 | 34 | 5 | 5.5 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | ||||||||||||
| 109 | 364 | 270 | 94 | 55.5 | 1 | 21 | 2 | 18 | 6 | 0 |