L.J. Smith
Encyclopedia
John Smith III commonly known as L.J., which stands for "Little John", is an American football
tight end
who is currently a free agent
. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles
in the second round of the 2003 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Rutgers
.
, Smith played both basketball and football. As a senior football linebacker, he posted 11 sacks, 143 tackles, and five interceptions.
. Smith earned All-Big East honors as both a junior and senior, and served as team captain as a senior, leading the Scarlet Knights with a career-high 32 receptions for 384 yards and three touchdowns.
in the second round of the 2003 NFL Draft
. As a rookie he had 27 receptions for 321 yards and a touchdown. He had 34 receptions, 377 yards and five touchdowns in 2004. His touchdown total of five was the most in a season by an Eagles tight end since Chad Lewis
posted six in 2001. Smith also made an impressive diving reception in the back of the end zone for the Eagles' first touchdown in Super Bowl XXXIX
.
He followed up his 2004 season with a strong 2005 campaign, hauling in 61 receptions for 682 yards (both career highs) and three touchdowns.
In 2006 he had 50 receptions for 611 yards and five touchdowns. In 2007 he had only 22 receptions for 236 yards and a touchdown.
On February 19, 2008 he was designated the franchise player
of the Eagles. He finished the 2008 season with 37 receptions for 298 yards and three touchdowns.
. He enjoys playing basketball
and was a tremendous basketball prospect
who drew interest from a number of Division I programs including Florida State and various schools from the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. He currently resides in Cherry Hill, New Jersey
.
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...
tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
who is currently a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the second round of the 2003 NFL Draft
2003 NFL Draft
The 2003 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. The draft is known officially as the "NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting" and has been conducted annually since 1936. The draft was held April 26–27, 2003 at the Theatre at...
. 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 Rutgers
Rutgers Scarlet Knights football
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team represents Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision play...
.
Early years
At Highland Park High School in Highland Park, New JerseyHighland Park, New Jersey
Highland Park is a borough in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 13,982....
, Smith played both basketball and football. As a senior football linebacker, he posted 11 sacks, 143 tackles, and five interceptions.
College years
A four-year starter, he finished second in Rutgers history among tight ends with 122 receptions for 1,458 yards and ten touchdowns, surpassed only by Marco BattagliaMarco Battaglia
Marco Antonio Battaglia is a former American football tight end in the National Football League who played for five different teams. Battaglia played college football at Rutgers University and was chosen in second round of the 1996 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals...
. Smith earned All-Big East honors as both a junior and senior, and served as team captain as a senior, leading the Scarlet Knights with a career-high 32 receptions for 384 yards and three touchdowns.
Philadelphia Eagles
Smith was drafted by the Philadelphia EaglesPhiladelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the second round of the 2003 NFL Draft
2003 NFL Draft
The 2003 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. The draft is known officially as the "NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting" and has been conducted annually since 1936. The draft was held April 26–27, 2003 at the Theatre at...
. As a rookie he had 27 receptions for 321 yards and a touchdown. He had 34 receptions, 377 yards and five touchdowns in 2004. His touchdown total of five was the most in a season by an Eagles tight end since Chad Lewis
Chad Lewis
Chad Wayne Lewis is a former American football tight end in the National Football League for the Philadelphia Eagles and St. Louis Rams.-Early life:...
posted six in 2001. Smith also made an impressive diving reception in the back of the end zone for the Eagles' first touchdown in Super Bowl XXXIX
Super Bowl XXXIX
Super Bowl XXXIX was an American football game played on February 6, 2005, at Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida, to decide the National Football League champion following the 2004 regular season...
.
He followed up his 2004 season with a strong 2005 campaign, hauling in 61 receptions for 682 yards (both career highs) and three touchdowns.
In 2006 he had 50 receptions for 611 yards and five touchdowns. In 2007 he had only 22 receptions for 236 yards and a touchdown.
On February 19, 2008 he was designated the franchise player
Franchise player
In professional sports, a franchise player is an athlete who is not simply the best player on their team, but a player that the team can build their "franchise" around for the foreseeable future...
of the Eagles. He finished the 2008 season with 37 receptions for 298 yards and three touchdowns.
Baltimore Ravens
Smith signed a one-year, $1.5 million dollar deal with the Baltimore Ravens on March 20, 2009. In his lone season in Baltimore (plagued by injuries) Smith had only two catches for 31 yards.Personal
Smith was included in the 2005 Chunky Soup commercials featuring Donovan McNabbDonovan McNabb
Donovan Jamal McNabb is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was the Philadelphia Eagles' quarterback from 1999 to 2009 and spent the 2010 season with the Washington Redskins and a portion of the 2011 season with the Minnesota Vikings. In college, McNabb played...
. He enjoys playing basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
and was a tremendous basketball prospect
Prospect (sports)
In sports, a prospect is any player whose rights are owned by a professional team, but who has yet to play a game for the team, or isn't established with the team yet. Prospects can sometimes be assigned to farm teams...
who drew interest from a number of Division I programs including Florida State and various schools from the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. He currently resides in Cherry Hill, New Jersey
Cherry Hill, New Jersey
Cherry Hill is a township in Camden County, New Jersey, in the United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township had a population of 71,045, representing an increase of 1,080 from the 69,965 residents enumerated during the 2000 Census...
.