NFL CAREER – Originally selected as a second round draft pick by the Dallas Cowboys in 2016, Smith will provide experience and depth to the Saints linebacker corps. In seven seasons with the Cowboys (2016-21), Green Bay Packers (2021) and New York Giants (2021-22), the Fort Wayne, Ind. native has appeared in 87 regular season games with 69 starts and recorded 704 tackles (470 solo), 11 sacks, two interceptions, 21 passes defensed, six forced fumbles and six fumble recoveries, including one returned for a touchdown. He's started all four postseason games he's appeared in, posting 37 tackles and a pass defense.
CAREER TRANSACTIONS – Signed by New Orleans, 8/11/23; Signed to the Giants active roster from the practice squad, 10/1/22; Signed to the Giants practice squad, 9/20/22; Signed to the Giants active roster, 12/20/21; Elevated to Giants active roster (COVID-19 replacement, 12/18/21; Signed to Giants practice squad, 12/17/21; Contract terminated by the Packers, 11/2/21; Signed by the Green Bay Packers, 10/7/21; Contract terminated by the Cowboys, 10/6/21; Re-signed to a five-year contract extension by Cowboys, 8/20/19; Placed by Dallas on Injured Reserve, 12/13/16; Reinstated from reserve/Non-Football Injury by Dallas, 12/12/16; Placed by Dallas on Reserve/Non-Football Injury, 8/30/16; Signed by the Cowboys to a four-year contract, 5/20/16; Selected by the Cowboys in the second round (34th overall) of the 2016 NFL Draft.
HONORS – 2019: Pro Bowl.
2022 – Appeared in 13 regular season games with 11 starts for the New York Giants and recorded 88 tackles (46 solo), one sack and one fumble recovery. In two playoff contests, he led the Giants with 21 tackles, second in postseason play in the NFL through the first two weeks. 2021 – Played in ten games with four starts for Cowboys, Packers and Giants, tallying 39 tackles (25 solo), a sack and a pass defense…Dropped QB Andy Dalton for a nine-yard loss, at Chicago, 1/2/22, adding seven tackles (five solo). 2020 – Started all 16 games for the third consecutive season for Dallas and led the defense in tackles (161) for the second straight campaign. Also led the defense in tackles nine times on the season. Was the first Dallas defender to top 150 stops in three straight seasons since Bradie James did it from 2018-10…Selected as a defensive captain for Week One and had 12 tackles (third on the defense) at the Los Angeles Rams, Sept. 13…Played in his 50th career game and finished against Atlanta, Sept. 20, with ten tackles, one stop for a loss and a pass breakup…Topped 500 career tackles, finishing with eight against Pittsburgh, Nov. 8…With six tackles on Thanksgiving Day against Washington, Nov. 26, topped 100 stops for the third straight season…At Baltimore, Dec. 8, made his 50th career start and led the team with a season-high 13 tackles, before logging 13 stops the next week at Cincinnati, Dec. 13. 2019 – Started all 16 games for the second straight season and led the team with a career-best 168 tackles. Earned a Pro Bowl spot as an injury replacement for Luke Kuechly. Selected as a team captain…Tied his career-high with a team-best 14 tackles in the win at Washington, Sept. 15…Started his 25th career game and led the team with 11 tackles with one quarterback pressure and one forced fumble against Miami, Sept. 22…Reached 300 career tackles, finishing with nine against Green Bay, Oct. 6, then tied his career-high with 14 stops in consecutive games – at the NY Giants, Nov. 4 and against Minnesota, Nov. 10…Reached 100 tackles on the year after leading the team with 11 at Detroit, Nov. 17…Again tied his career-best 14 stops on Thanksgiving Day against Buffalo, Nov. 28…Reached 400 tackles for his career with 10 at Philadelphia, Dec. 22…Picked off his first career pass to go with three breakups, nine tackles, a hurry and a tackle for a loss in the finale against Washington, Dec. 29. 2018 – Played in all 16 games (second time), starting all 16 for the first, and finished second on team with 150 tackles while adding 4.0 sacks (fourth), five tackles for loss (second), 13 hurries (fifth), two fumble recoveries (tied for first) and two forced fumbles (tied for first)…Logged 11 tackles in the home opener against the N.Y. Giants, Sept. 16, then had 10 tackles, a sack and two hurries at Seattle, Sept. 23…Reached 200 career tackles after leading the team with 10 against New Orleans, Nov. 29, then had a season-high and career-high tying 14 tackles with one pressure, at Indianapolis, Dec. 16…Had his first career touchdown on a 69-yard rumble recovery and was second on the team with 13 tackles along with two breakups in the NFC East-clinching win against Tampa Bay, Dec. 23…Made his postseason debut against Seattle, 1/5/19 and had seven tackles, a QB hurry and one pass defense. 2017 – Returned to field after spending 2016 rehabbing a knee injury suffered in college and notched 99 tackles (second on defense), one sack for a 13-yard loss, four tackles for losses, four quarterback pressures, two passes defensed and two forced fumbles…Selected as the team's Ed Block Courage Award winner for his efforts as role model of inspiration, sportsmanship and courage…Made his NFL debut at middle linebacker and was second on the team with nine tackles and a forced fumble in the opener against the N.Y. Giants, Sept. 10…Led the team with a career-high 14 stops at Denver, Sept. 17, then had his first career sack on which he forced a fumble, to go with seven tackles in the win at San Francisco, Oct. 22…At Atlanta, Nov. 12, had two tackles one for a loss and a pressure….Started against Washington, Nov. 30, and placed second on the team with nine tackles. 2017 – Spent the season on Reserve/NFI after suffering a knee injury in the Fiesta Bowl – his last collegiate game.
COLLEGE – A consensus All-American and Butkus Award winner as the best collegiate defensive player and team captain during a junior season in which he started all 13 games and led the team in total tackles (114), pass breakups (five), fumble recoveries (two) and ranked third in tackles for loss (9.5), along with one sack, six quarterback hurries and one forced fumble…Finished the year as a Butkus Award finalist and Bednarik Award semifinalist as a sophomore after starting all13 games and leading the Irish in total tackles (112), tackles for loss (nine), tied for second with 3.5 sacks, force a fumble, recorded two breakups and registered seven pressures…Started all 13 games at outside linebacker as a freshman and ranked third on the squad with 67 total tackles, second on the team with 6.5 tackles for loss and added one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, one interception, one quarterback hurry and three pass breakups…Earned his degree in film, television and theater from Notre Dame in the spring of 2019.
PERSONAL – Helped Bishop Luers (Fort Wayne, Ind.) HS to four straight Indiana Class 2A state titles as a linebacker and running back as a three-time first-team All-State selection and was winner of the 2012 Butkus Award presented by Pro Football Weekly to the top high school linebacker in the country and a first-team linebacker on the Parade prep All-American squad. Finished his senior season with 1,265 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns on 176 attempts to go with 10 receptions for 66 yards and two more touchdowns – adding 72 tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss, 8.0 sacks, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and seven pass deflections on defense.
