Josh Smith - Football - Vanderbilt University Athletics

#25 Josh Smith

LB

Class Senior
Height 6'4"
Weight 240
Hometown Murfreesboro, Tenn.
High School Oakland

HONORS
2017 SEC Academic Honor Roll
2016 SEC Academic Honor Roll
2015 First-Year SEC Academic Honor Roll

2018
Smith enjoyed his finest campaign as a Commodore, playing in 12 of 13 games… Earned 12 starts at outside linebacker… Set single-season highs with 35 solo tackles, 61 total tackles, 3.5 quarterback sacks, eight tackles for loss, three pass breakups, three quarterback hurries and a forced fumble… Posted at least three tackles in 11 games… Registered career highs of eight solo stops, 10 total tackles and three tackles for loss in early-season victory at Nevada… Also contributed eight tackles against South Carolina, seven stops against Notre Dame and Florida, and six tackles for Kentucky… Had five solo tackles and a sack at Missouri… Also added a sack and two pass breakups in win over Tennessee… Posted three solo stops against Baylor in Texas Bowl.

2017
Smith participated in all 12 games, contributing at outside linebacker and on special teams… Ended the year establishing new single-season highs with 21 total tackles, 11 solo stops, two quarterback sacks and four tackles for loss… Sacks came in victories against Alabama A&M and Western Kentucky… Best game came out in the year against Missouri when he registered seven total tackles against the Tigers… Also produced multiple tackles against Alabama A&M, South Carolina and Kentucky.

2016
Smith was hampered by injuries, but finished the regular season on a high note by starting at outside linebacker in the victory over Tennessee… During course of the season, Smith played both inside and outside linebacker, seeing action in nine games… Smith concluded the year with three total tackles, including an important quarterback sack against Tennessee, quarterback hurry and pass breakup.

2015
Smith saw action in every game as an outside linebacker during his first year on campus… Finished the season with seven total tackles… Posted two stops against three opponents — Western Kentucky, Austin Peay and Florida… Also registered a tackle for loss in the opener against Western Kentucky.

HIGH SCHOOL
Two-year captain and two-year starter at linebacker for one of Tennessee’s top public schools… Posted 128 tackles, nine quarterback sacks, four forced fumbles and 25 tackles for loss as senior, leading Patriots to 14-2 record and 6A state championship game… Named Murfreesboro Daily News Journal’s Defensive Player of the Year as senior… Played in prestigious U.S. Army All-American Game as senior… Two-time First Team All-State and All-Region selection… As senior, named to preseason watch list for Butkus Award presented to nation’s top prep linebacker… top As junior, registered 81 tackles, helping Oakland to 12-0 regular season.

PERSONAL
Joshua D. Smith… Born Feb. 25, 1997 in Nashville… Son of Demetrius and Stephanie Smith… An older brother, Emmanuel, played linebacker and safety for the Commodores from 2014-17… Dad is a police officer, mom works in factory management… Dad played football at Middle Tennessee State… Working toward a degree in environmental sociology.

CAREER HIGHS
Total Tackles: 10, vs. Nevada, 9/8/2018
Solo Tackles: 8, vs. Nevada, 9/8/2018
Quarterback Sacks: 1, (5x), last vs. Tennessee, 11/24/2018
Tackles for Loss: 3.0, vs. Nevada, 9/8/2018
Pass Breakups: 2, vs. Tennessee, 11/24/2018

Josh Smith action shot 10-02-15