Andre Smith (linebacker)

Andre Smith
refer to caption
Smith with the Carolina Panthers in 2019
Personal information
Born: (1997-04-20) April 20, 1997 (age 27)
Jacksonville, Florida, U.S.
Height:6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight:240 lb (109 kg)
Career information
High school:Trinity Christian Academy
(Jacksonville, Florida)
College:North Carolina (2015–2017)
Position:Linebacker
NFL draft:2018 / round: 7 / pick: 234
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career NFL statistics as of 2023
Total tackles:52
Forced fumbles:2
Fumble recoveries:2
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Andre Smith (born April 20, 1997) is an American professional football linebacker. He played college football at North Carolina.

Early life

Smith attended Trinity Christian Academy in Jacksonville, Florida. As a senior, he tallied 65 tackles with 5.5 being for loss.[1] He committed to play football for the North Carolina Tar Heels in October 2013.[2]

College career

As a true freshman in 2015, Smith played in all of North Carolina's 14 games. He tallied 53 tackles, two being for losses, one interception, one pass breakup, and one forced fumble.[3]

In 2016, Smith played in all 13 games, starting 12 of them at middle linebacker. He made 113 tackles, second on the team, along with one interception, one sack, three pass deflections, and one forced fumble.[4]

As a junior in 2017, Smith suffered a knee injury in North Carolina's second game against Louisville, forcing him to miss the remainder of the season.[5] In only two games, he tallied 21 tackles and a 73 yard interception return.[6] After the season, he declared for the 2018 NFL draft.[7]

Professional career

Pre-draft measurables
Height Weight Arm length Hand span 40-yard dash 10-yard split 20-yard split 20-yard shuttle Three-cone drill Vertical jump Broad jump Bench press
5 ft 11+5⁄8 in
(1.82 m) 		237 lb
(108 kg) 		33+1⁄8 in
(0.84 m) 		10 in
(0.25 m)		 4.63 s 1.58 s 2.65 s 4.35 s 7.50 s 32.5 in
(0.83 m)		 9 ft 8 in
(2.95 m)		 19 reps
Sources:[8][9]

Carolina Panthers

Smith was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in seventh round (234th overall) of the 2018 NFL Draft, using the 7th round pick acquired from a trade that sent Kelvin Benjamin to the Buffalo Bills.[10]

Buffalo Bills

On August 31, 2020, Smith was traded to the Buffalo Bills for a conditional 2023 seventh-round pick.[11] He was waived on September 5, 2020, and signed to the practice squad the next day.[12][13] He was elevated to the active roster on September 19, October 13, and October 24 for the team's weeks 2, 5, and 7 games against the Miami Dolphins, Tennessee Titans and New York Jets, and reverted to the practice squad after each game.[14][15][16] He was promoted to the active roster on October 27.[17]

On March 6, 2021, Smith signed a two-year contract extension with the Bills.[18]

Smith was suspended the first six games of the 2022 season for violating the league’s policy against performance-enhancing substances.[19] Smith was released from the Bills on October 17, 2022.

Tennessee Titans

On November 15, 2022, Smith was signed to the Titans practice squad.[20] He was promoted to the active roster on December 29.[21]

Atlanta Falcons

On May 15, 2023, Smith signed with the Atlanta Falcons.[22] He was released on August 29, 2023, and re-signed to the practice squad.[23][24] On September 27, 2023, Smith was promoted to the active roster.[25] He was released on October 10 but was re-signed to the practice squad the next day. He was signed to the active roster on November 7.[26]

Denver Broncos

On June 13, 2024, Smith signed with the Denver Broncos.[27] He was released on August 26.[28]

Career statistics

Year Team Games Tackles Interceptions Fumbles
GP GS Comb Solo Ast Sck PDef Int Yds Avg Lng TDs FF FR
2018 CAR 3 0 3 1 2 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2019 CAR 16 0 5 5 0 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2020 BUF 12 0 9 8 1 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
2021 BUF 15 0 10 4 6 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
2022 TEN 5 0 6 4 2 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2023 ATL 11 1 19 13 6 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1
Total 62 1 52 35 17 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2

References

  1. ^ "Andre Smith". University of North Carolina Tar Heels Official Athletic Site. Retrieved December 31, 2017.
  2. ^ "Smith Is UNC Commit No. 2 for 2015". Carolina Blue. Retrieved December 31, 2017.
  3. ^ "Andre Smith 2015 Player Statistics". cfbstats. Retrieved December 31, 2017.
  4. ^ "Andre Smith 2016 Player Statistics". cfbstats. Retrieved December 31, 2017.
  5. ^ "Andre Smith, UNC's star linebacker, is out for the season. Here's who will replace him". The News & Observer. Retrieved December 31, 2017.
  6. ^ "Andre Smith 2017 Player Statistics". cfbstats. Retrieved December 31, 2017.
  7. ^ "UNC linebacker Andre Smith to enter NFL draft". The Herald Sun. Retrieved December 31, 2017.
  8. ^ "Andre Smith Draft and Combine Prospect Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved September 26, 2023.
  9. ^ "2018 NFL Draft Scout Andre Smith College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved September 26, 2023.
  10. ^ Strickland, Bryan (April 28, 2018). "Panthers draft Andre Smith, Kendrick Norton in seventh round". Panthers.com. Archived from the original on May 21, 2018. Retrieved May 20, 2018.
  11. ^ "Bills trade for LB Andre Smith". BuffaloBills.com. August 31, 2020.
  12. ^ Brown, Chris (September 5, 2020). "Bills announce these moves to get to the 53-man roster limit". BuffaloBills.com.
  13. ^ "Bills announce the initial 2020 practice squad". BuffaloBills.com. September 6, 2020.
  14. ^ Glab, Maddy (September 19, 2020). "Bills elevate linebackers Deon Lacey and Andre Smith from practice squad". BuffaloBills.com. Retrieved October 5, 2020.
  15. ^ "Bills elevate CB Dane Jackson and LB Andre Smith". BuffaloBills.com. October 13, 2020. Retrieved October 29, 2020.
  16. ^ "Bills place four players on the Reserve/COVID-19 list; four players elevated from practice squad". BuffaloBills.com. October 24, 2020. Retrieved November 5, 2020.
  17. ^ "Bills activate guard Jon Feliciano and promote linebacker Andre Smith". BuffaloBills.com. October 27, 2020.
  18. ^ Glad, Maddy (March 6, 2021). "The Bills sign LB Andre Smith to a two-year deal". buffalobills.com. Archived from the original on March 6, 2021. Retrieved March 8, 2021.
  19. ^ "Bills' Andre Smith hit with six-game PED suspension". Smith, Michael David. NBC Sports. June 1, 2022.
  20. ^ Wyatt, Jim (November 15, 2022). "Titans Promote LB Joe Schobert, DL Larrell Murchison to Team's 53-Man Roster While Placing CB Caleb Farley on Injured Reserve". TennesseeTitans.com.
  21. ^ Wyatt, Jim (December 29, 2022). "Titans Place QB Ryan Tannehill, OLB Bud Dupree and LB Zach Cunningham on Injured Reserve While Promoting Three Others to the Active Roster". TennesseeTitans.com.
  22. ^ Bair, Scott (May 15, 2023). "Falcons sign four, cut several in series of moves following rookie minicamp". AtlantaFalcons.com.
  23. ^ "Falcons announce initial 53-man roster for 2023". AtlantaFalcons.com. August 29, 2023.
  24. ^ Bair, Scott (August 30, 2023). "Falcons announce additions to practice squad". AtlantaFalcons.com.
  25. ^ Blair, Scott (September 27, 2023). "Falcons add inside linebacker to 53-man roster from practice squad". AtlantaFalcons.com.
  26. ^ Bair, Scott. "Falcons make changes at linebacker with roster moves". atlantafalcons.com. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
  27. ^ DiLalla, Aric (June 13, 2024). "Broncos sign ILB Andre Smith". DenverBroncos.com.
  28. ^ DiLalla, Aric. "Broncos make series of roster moves ahead of Tuesday's deadline". denverbroncos.com. Retrieved August 27, 2024.