Will Smith (American football)

William Raymond Smith III (born July 4, 1981) is an American football defensive end for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for Ohio State University. He was raised in Utica, New York.

High school career
Smith was born in Queens, New York to William and Lisa Smith. At Proctor High School in Utica, New York, Smith was a USA Today All-American pick, and was rated by Prep Football Report as the best defensive line prospect in the state. As a senior he had 20 sacks.

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 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.

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. He sacked Carolina Panthers starting QB David Carr early in the season, ending Carr's season.

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, Smith was one of six players suspended for use of Bumetanide a diuretic, which can be used as a masking agent for steroid use. It is believed that the diuretic was found in StarCaps, a weight-loss supplement that he had been taking. Smith's original punishment was announced as a four-game suspension for the final four games of the 2008 regular season. Enforcement of the suspension was delayed as other players challenged the decision through federal and state courts, and the league allowed all players involved in the matter to continue playing pending a final resolution of the case. Smith's suspension was later reduced to a two games and an additional two lost paychecks, and was served at the beginning of the 2011 NFL season.

2009
Under new Defensive Coordinator 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.

2012
On May 2, 2012, Smith was suspended by the NFL for the first 4 games of the 2012 season because of his alleged role in the New Orleans Saints bounty scandal.

However on July 26, 2012 Jonathan Vilma and seven witnesses from the Saints testified in front of a federal judge in New Orleans that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell got his facts wrong in the bounty scandal."Everybody was sworn in under oath in front of a judge with the risk of perjury and jail time if we were lying, and categorically denied there was a bounty," Vilma said in a text message to ESPN's Ed Werder. "Seven people testified, 2 sworn affidavits (one by Drew Brees) all saying the same thing. I ask that you and ESPN report the facts. No more bias or b.s. or hearsay. I gave you facts that you can report if so choose."

Tulane University Sports Law Program Director Gabe Feldman (who attended the hearing in court) said, "Clearly the judge, by her questions, indicated she thinks Goodell overstepped his authority, and this case was always going to be about if he executed his power fairly... The NFL's retort is that with all due deference, you don't get to second guess (commissioner Roger Goodell). Judges only have limited jurisdiction over arbitration issues." Smith's suspension was later overturned.

On October 9, 2012, four weeks and three days after an internal appeals panel vacated suspensions imposed on Smith, Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma, Browns linebacker Scott Fujita, and free-agent defensive end Anthony Hargrove, the league has re-issued the discipline without any changes or reductions, according to a league source. This means that Vilma will be suspended a full season, Fujita will be suspended three games, Smith will be suspended four games, and Hargrove will be suspended eight games.

Personal
He is married to Racquel; they have three children.