Smith (6-2, 235) spent the first five weeks of the season on the Vikings practice squad before being elevated to the active roster on October 12. On the 53-man roster Weeks 6-8, Smith saw action in his first two contests before being waived and brought back to the practice squad (11/2/19). Originally selected by Minnesota in the fifth round (162nd overall) of the 2019 NFL Draft, the Granite Bay, California, native was named USC’s team MVP following his senior season in 2018. Smith led the Trojans in tackles as a sophomore, junior and senior, becoming the first USC player to do so in three consecutive seasons since Dennis Johnson did so from 1977-1979.
• USC captain as a junior and senior, earning team MVP as a senior.
• Started 9 games as a true freshman and was on pace to be 1st true freshman to lead USC in tackles since records were kept in 1954 before injury cut season short after 10 games.
OFF THE FIELD Earned degree in communications in May 2018...Grandfather, Bob Lakata, played basketball at Duke in 1955-58...Did an internship at California’s Melville Winery in summer of 2017...Avid outdoorsman, enjoys hunting and fishing in his free time...Interested in outdoors guiding as a career after football...Grandfather served in the Army...His selection in the Draft was read on NFL Network by 99-year old Minnesota media icon Sid Hartman.
PRO The 4th Pac 12 linebacker the Vikings have drafted in the past 6 drafts- joining Anthony Barr (2014), Eric Kendricks (2015), Devante Downs (2018)...Selected in the 5th Round (#162 overall)...The 1st USC LB drafted by the Vikings since Dennis Johnson in 1980 (4th round)...The last USC player selected by the Vikings is Everson Griffen in 2010 (4th round).
COLLEGE Named USC’s MVP following his senior season and served as a team captain as a junior and senior...Led Trojans in tackles as a sophomore, junior and senior, the 1st USC player to lead the team in stops 3 straight seasons since Dennis Johnson in 1977-78-79...Started 44 of his 47 career games...Started 9 of the 10 games he played as a true freshman in 2015 before being sidelined by injury...Led the team in tackles at the time of his injury and was on pace to be the 1st true freshman to lead the team in tackles since records were kept in 1954...Earned 1st Team All-Pac 12 as a junior and 2nd Team honors as a sophomore and senior...Started 26 games and played in 27 games as sophomore and junior but was limited to 10 games and 9 starts as a senior...Led USC with 81 tackles as a senior while playing in 10 games, missing 2 games with injury...Honored as Trojans MVP...Team went 5-7 and did not qualify for bowl game...Named 2nd Team All-Pac 12...Led team with career-high 112 tackles as a junior in 2017 and started 13 of 14 games...Won Pac 12 title game over Stanford and went on to play Ohio State in Cotton Bowl, ending season 11-3, his best record...A 1st Team All-Pac 12 honoree and was a semi-finalist for the Butkus Award and Lott IMPACT Trophy...Started all 13 games as a sophomore in 2016 and led team with 83 tackles...USC was 10-3, won the Rose Bowl over Penn State in a 52-49 thriller but was ejected from game for 2nd half for targeting penalty...Posted career-best 15 tackles at Utah...Made immediate impact for USC, starting 9 of the opening 10 games of the season before being sidelined with knee injury...Had 78 tackles and was on pace to lead the team in tackles before injury...Honorable Mention All-Pac 12 and won the USC John McKay Award recognizing the underclassman with the most competitive spirit...Named to multiple Freshman All-America teams...Was the 1st USC true freshman to start a season opener at LB when he did so against Arkansas State since Riki Ellison in 1978...Had career game against Utah when he snared 3 INTs, returning a 54-yarder for TD and adding returns of 41 and 27 yards.
PREP Helped team to state championship in 2012 as a sophomore...Ended career with 11 INTs...Earned 1st Team All-State honors and recognized as Prep Star All-America as a senior LB at Granite Bay High when he had 148 tackles, 3 FF, 2 FR and 4 INTs (2 went for TDs)...An All-State Junior 1st Team honoree...All-State Sophomore 1st-Teamer...Standout in baseball and wrestling.
