L.J. Smith
Smith with the Baltimore Ravens in 2009
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| No. 82 | |||||||||
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| Position: | Tight end | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Date of birth: | May 13, 1980 | ||||||||
| Place of birth: | Highland Park, New Jersey | ||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 258 lb (117 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| College: | Rutgers | ||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2003 / Round: 2 / Pick: 61 | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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| Receptions: | 233 |
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| Receiving yards: | 2,556 |
| Receiving touchdowns: | 18 |
| Player stats at NFL.com | |
John Smith III (born May 13, 1980), commonly known as L. J., which stands for "Little John", is a former American football tight end in the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round of the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at Rutgers.
In elementary school, he went to Bartle in Highland Park. At Highland Park High School in Highland Park, New Jersey, Smith played both basketball and football. As a senior football linebacker, he posted 11 sacks, 143 tackles, and five interceptions.
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 Battaglia. 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.
Smith was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round of the 2003 NFL Draft. As a rookie, he backed up Chad Lewis, and had 27 receptions for 321 yards and a touchdown. Coach Andy Reid worked Smith and Lewis both into the offense with two tight-end sets, and Smith had 34 receptions, 377 yards and five touchdowns in 2004. That season, the Eagles reached Super Bowl XXXIX and Smith made an impressive diving reception in the back of the end zone for the Eagles' first touchdown of the game, though they would go on to lose to the New England Patriots 24-21.
With the retirement of Chad Lewis and suspension of Terrell Owens, Smith became one of Donovan McNabb's top targets; between 2005 and 2006, Smith led the Eagles in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. Troy Aikman called Smith "arguably the most underrated player in the NFL."
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