Preston Demarquis Smith
(born November 17, 1992) is an
American football
American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team with ...
outside linebacker
Linebacker (LB) is a playing position in gridiron football. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage and the defensive linemen. They are the "middle ground" of defenders, ...
for the
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. It ...
of the
National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
(NFL). He played
college football
College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States.
Unlike most ...
at
Mississippi State
Mississippi State University for Agriculture and Applied Science, commonly known as Mississippi State University (MSU), is a public land-grant research university adjacent to Starkville, Mississippi. It is classified among "R1: Doctoral Univers ...
and was drafted by the
Washington Redskins
The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) N ...
in the second round of the
2015 NFL Draft
The 2015 NFL Draft was the 80th annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible football players. It took place in Chicago at the Auditorium Theatre and in Grant Park, from April 30 to May 2. The previous ...
.
Early life
Smith attended
Stephenson High School
Stephenson High School (SHS) is a public school serving grades 9–12 located in the unincorporated area of DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. It has a Stone Mountain postal address but it is not in the city limits. It is part of the DeKalb ...
in
Stone Mountain, Georgia
Stone Mountain is a city in DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. The population was 6,703 according to the 2020 US Census. Stone Mountain is in the eastern part of DeKalb County and is a suburb of Atlanta that encompasses nearly 1.7 square mil ...
.
He was rated as a two-star recruit by ''247sports.com'',
and ''
Scout.com
Scout Media is an integrated sports publishing company that produces Internet content covering hundreds of professional and college teams across America. The company was founded in 2001 and was acquired by Fox Sports in 2005. In 2013, Fox Sports ...
'',
and a three-star recruit by ''
Rivals.com
Rivals.com is a network of websites that focus mainly on college football and basketball recruiting in the United States. The network was started in 1998 and employs more than 300 personnel.
History
Rivals.com was founded in 1998 by Jim Heckma ...
''.
He chose to play for the
Mississippi State Bulldogs
Mississippi State Bulldogs is the name given to the athletic teams of Mississippi State University, in Mississippi State, Mississippi. The university is a founding member of the Southeastern Conference and competes in NCAA Division I.
Sports sp ...
over offers from
Kentucky
Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia to ...
,
Syracuse
Syracuse may refer to:
Places Italy
*Syracuse, Sicily, or spelled as ''Siracusa''
*Province of Syracuse
United States
*Syracuse, New York
**East Syracuse, New York
**North Syracuse, New York
*Syracuse, Indiana
* Syracuse, Kansas
*Syracuse, Miss ...
, and
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the Bur ...
, among others.
College career
Smith appeared in 8 games as a true freshman in
2011 season, recording a forced fumble in a 31–3 win over
Ole Miss in the
Egg Bowl
The Egg Bowl (traditionally named the “Battle for the Golden Egg”) is the name given to the Mississippi State–Ole Miss football rivalry. It is an American college football rivalry game played annually between Southeastern Conference memb ...
.
In
2012
File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gather ...
, Smith appeared in all 13 games and led the Bulldogs with 4.5 sacks.
As a junior in
2013
File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fact ...
, Smith recorded 2.5 sacks, including 2.0 in a 59–26 loss to
LSU
Louisiana State University (officially Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, commonly referred to as LSU) is a public land-grant research university in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The university was founded in 1860 near ...
.
Smith started the
2014 season with a bang, winning the SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week Award in each of the first three weeks. Smith recorded an interception in the Bulldogs' 49–0 rout of
Southern Miss
The University of Southern Mississippi (Southern Miss or USM) is a public research university with its main campus located in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. It is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award bachelor's, ma ...
,
and returned another acrobatic, one-handed interception for a touchdown in the Bulldogs' win over
UAB.
Smith ended the season with 42 tackles, nine sacks, two interceptions and a
touchdown
A touchdown (abbreviated as TD) is a scoring play in gridiron 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. In Ameri ...
.
At the end of his senior season, Smith was projected as a fourth-round pick in the
2015 NFL Draft
The 2015 NFL Draft was the 80th annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible football players. It took place in Chicago at the Auditorium Theatre and in Grant Park, from April 30 to May 2. The previous ...
by CBS and NFL Draft Scout.
Professional career
Washington Redskins
The
Washington Redskins
The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) N ...
selected Smith in the second round with the 38th overall pick in the
2015 NFL Draft
The 2015 NFL Draft was the 80th annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible football players. It took place in Chicago at the Auditorium Theatre and in Grant Park, from April 30 to May 2. The previous ...
. Smith was the seventh defensive end drafted in 2015.
2015
On May 11, 2015, the Washington Redskins signed Smith to a four-year,
$5.77 million contract that includes $3.16 million guaranteed and a
signing bonus
A signing bonus or sign-on bonus is a sum of money paid to a new employee (including a professional sports person) by a company as an incentive to join that company. They are often given as a way of making a compensation package more attractive ...
of $2.46 million. Throughout training camp, Smith competed to be the backup right outside linebacker against veteran
Trent Murphy
Trenton Allen Murphy (born December 22, 1990) is a former American football defensive end. He played college football at Stanford, and was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft.
High school career
Murphy ...
. Head coach
Jay Gruden
Jay Michael Gruden (born March 4, 1967) is an American football coach and former quarterback who is an offensive consultant for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the head coach of the Washington ...
named Smith the backup right outside linebacker to start the regular season, behind Murphy, after Junior Galette sustained a season-ending injury.
He made his professional regular season debut in the Washington Redskins’ season-opener against the
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member team of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team pla ...
and made two solo tackles, forced two fumbles, a fumble recovery, and made his first career sack as they lost 17–10. During the third quarter, Smith recovered a fumble he caused while making his first career sack on quarterback
Ryan Tannehill
Ryan Timothy Tannehill III (born July 27, 1988) is an American football quarterback for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Texas A&M, where he was a wide receiver until his junior year, an ...
for a 13-yard loss. In Week 13, Smith earned his first career start and recorded one solo tackle as the Redskins earned a 24–21 victory at the
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) North division. The Bears have won nine NF ...
. On December 26, 2015, Smith tied his season-high of four combined tackles (three solo) and also had a season-high three sacks on
Sam Bradford
Samuel Jacob Bradford (born November 8, 1987) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons, most notably with the St. Louis Rams and Minnesota Vikings. He was also a member of the P ...
during a 38–24 victory at the
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team plays ...
in Week 16. His performance earned him the
Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week
Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week is an award given to the best performing rookie players in the National Football League (NFL). It was first awarded in 2002 and is sponsored by Pepsi. Winners are chosen among five finalists every week during the season ...
. He finished his rookie campaign with 35 combined tackles (24 solo), eight sacks, four pass deflections, three forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery in 16 games and one start.
The
Washington Redskins
The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) N ...
finished first in the
NFC East
The National Football Conference – Eastern Division or NFC East is one of the four Division (sport), divisions of the National Football Conference (NFC) in the National Football League (NFL). It currently has four members: the Dallas Cowboys ...
with a 9–7 record and clinched a playoff berth. On January 10, 2016, Smith appeared in his first career playoff game and recorded three combined tackles, a sack, and earned the first
safety
Safety is the state of being "safe", the condition of being protected from harm or other danger. Safety can also refer to risk management, the control of recognized hazards in order to achieve an acceptable level of risk.
Meanings
There are ...
during a 35–18 loss against the
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. It ...
in the NFC Wildcard Game.
2016
In March 2016, Smith was voted as one of the best under-25 players in the NFL. Smith entered training camp slated as a backup outside linebacker behind Junior Galette and
Ryan Kerrigan
Patrick Ryan Kerrigan (born August 16, 1988) is an American football coach and former outside linebacker and defensive end who is the assistant defensive line coach for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). He played c ...
. Head coach Jay Gruden named Smith the starting right outside linebacker after
Junior Galette
Junior Jovais Galette (born March 27, 1988) is a Haitian born former American football outside linebacker. He played college football at Temple and Stillman. Galette was signed as an undrafted free agent with the New Orleans Saints. Galette ...
sustained a torn Achilles during the 2016 preseason. In a game against the
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. Founded in 1960 as an expansion ...
in November 2016, Smith had two sacks, along with his first career
interception
In ball-playing competitive team sports, an interception or pick is a move by a player involving a pass of the ball—whether by foot or hand, depending on the rules of the sport—in which the ball is intended for a player of the same team b ...
, helping the Redskins to a 26–20 win.
2017
![Preston smith 2017](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a7/Preston_smith_2017.jpg)
Smith had a strong performance in the
2017
File:2017 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The War Against ISIS at the Battle of Mosul (2016-2017); aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing; The Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 ("Great American Eclipse"); North Korea tests a ser ...
win against the
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Cardinals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) West division, and play t ...
recording a sack, his second career interception, and a fumble recovery caused by
Anthony Lanier. In the last game of the season, Smith recorded his third career interception on
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. ...
quarterback
Eli Manning
Elisha Nelson Manning (born January 3, 1981) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons with the New York Giants. A member of the Manning football dynasty, he is the youngest son o ...
. In the 2017 season, he tied his season-high of eight sacks.
2018
In
2018
File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...
, Smith recovered a fumble caused by
Ryan Kerrigan
Patrick Ryan Kerrigan (born August 16, 1988) is an American football coach and former outside linebacker and defensive end who is the assistant defensive line coach for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). He played c ...
in the end zone helping to seal the Week 7 win against the
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divisi ...
and recording his first career touchdown. Smith recorded his fourth career interception against
Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston. The Texans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division, and play their home ga ...
quarterback
Deshaun Watson
Derrick Deshaun Watson (born September 14, 1995) is an American football
American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players ...
in Week 11.
Green Bay Packers
2019
![Preston Smith 2019](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/19/Preston_Smith_2019.jpg)
On March 14, 2019, Smith signed with the
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. It ...
on a four-year, $52 million contract.
In Smith's debut as a Packer in Week 1 against the
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) North division. The Bears have won nine NF ...
, he made 5 tackles and sacked
Mitchell Trubisky
Mitchell David Trubisky (born August 20, 1994) is an American football quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at North Carolina and was drafted second overall by the Chicago ...
1.5 times in the 10–3 win. In Week 3 against the
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football franchise based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team is headquart ...
, Smith sacked
Joe Flacco
Joseph Vincent Flacco (born January 16, 1985) is an American football quarterback for the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Delaware after transferring from Pittsburgh and was drafted by the Baltim ...
3 times and forced a fumble that was recovered by the Packers in the 27–16 win, earning him NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors.
In week 6 against the
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) North Division. The team play their home games at Ford ...
, Smith sacked
Matthew Stafford
John Matthew Stafford (born February 7, 1988) is an American football quarterback for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Georgia, where he was a first-team All-American, and was selected f ...
1.5 times in the 23–22 win.
In week 10 against the
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL), as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. T ...
, Smith recorded 2 sacks on
Kyle Allen
Kyle Allen (born March 8, 1996) is an American football quarterback for the Houston Texans of the National Football League (NFL). A native of Scottsdale, Arizona, he played high school football at Desert Mountain and was among the top football ...
in the 24–16 win.
In Week 16 against the Vikings, Smith recorded 3 tackles and 1.5 sacks during the 23–10 win. In the Divisional Round of the playoffs against the
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) West, which they rejoined in 2002 as ...
, he recorded 2 sacks on
Russell Wilson
Russell Carrington Wilson (born November 29, 1988) is an American football quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). He previously played his first 10 seasons for the Seattle Seahawks. Wilson is widely regarded ...
during the 28–23 win, including one at the 2-minute warning in the 4th quarter. He finished the season with 56 tackles, 12 sacks and four pass deflections.
2020
In Week 10 against the
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division. The team play ...
, Smith recorded his first full sack of the season on
Jake Luton
Jake Luton (born April 11, 1996) is an American football quarterback for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the sixth round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
Early years
Born and rai ...
during the 24–20 win. In Week 12 against the
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) North division. The Bears have won nine NF ...
on ''Sunday Night Football'', Smith recorded three total tackles (one for loss) and sacked Bears
quarterback
The quarterback (commonly abbreviated "QB"), colloquially known as the "signal caller", is a position in gridiron football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive platoon and mostly line up directly behind the offensive line. In modern Ame ...
Mitchell Trubisky
Mitchell David Trubisky (born August 20, 1994) is an American football quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at North Carolina and was drafted second overall by the Chicago ...
once during the 41–25 win; he also recovered a fumble forced by teammate
Za'Darius Smith
Za'Darius Smith (born September 8, 1992) is an American football defensive end for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at East Mississippi Community College before transferring to Kentucky. He ...
on Trubisky and returned it for a 14-yard touchdown, the second score of his career.
2021
On March 12, 2021, Smith signed a new contract in Green Bay that reduced his base salary after a disappointing 2020 season, with performance incentives that could increase his total pay to eclipse the previous figure if he tallied 14 sacks during the season. Smith rebounded in 2021, tallying 9 sacks as a full-time starter with Za'Darius Smith injured for most of the year, and tallying high grades from Pro Football Focus.
2022
On March 14, 2022, Smith signed a four-year, $52.5 million extension with the Packers through the 2026 season.
Statistics
Career statistics
Regular season
Postseason
References
External links
Green Bay Packers bioMississippi State Bulldogs bio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Preston
1992 births
Living people
American football defensive ends
American football outside linebackers
Mississippi State Bulldogs football players
Players of American football from Atlanta
Sportspeople from DeKalb County, Georgia
Washington Redskins players
Green Bay Packers players