With Smith's family tree, is it any wonder that he grew up to play linebacker? His godfather is Seth Joyner, a standout former All-Pro linebacker with the Philadelphia Eagles. His journey to Syracuse after high school was facilitated by the fact that his uncle, Keith Bulluck, was an All-American linebacker at the school before being selected in the first round of the 2000 NFL Draft by Tennessee, enjoying a stellar eight-year career with the Titans to this point.

Smith was named the New York Sportswriters' Association Section 1 Player of the Year as a senior at North Rockland High School. He added Prep Star All-American honors and was rated the 12th-best prospect from New York by Super Prep. He added first-team Class AA All-State Defense accolades during his final season.

Smith led the team to an 11-2 record and a state championship semifinalist berth in 2001. That year, he registered 150 tackles, six interceptions, three fumble recoveries, 700 rushing yards and seven touchdowns in his final 11 games. He competed at defensive end, middle linebacker and occasionally played fullback during his three-year career.

Recruited by former assistant coach Jerry Azzinaro, Smith performed on the scout team for Syracuse in 2002. He moved into the starting lineup at strong-side outside linebacker during the second game of the 2003 season, going on to start his next 46 games.

Smith earned Freshman All-American third-team and All-Big East first-team honors from The Sporting News in 2003. He collected 68 tackles (50 solos) with a sack, an interception and seven stops for losses. He remained at strong-side linebacker the following year, ranking sixth on the team with 53 tackles (32 solos) and four stops behind the line of scrimmage. He also picked off two passes, returning one for a touchdown.

In 2005, Smith shifted to middle linebacker. In 11 games, he posted a team-high 89 tackles (51 solos) with a pair of sacks and seven stops for losses. He caused a fumble, picked off one pass and deflected three others.

As a senior, Smith again led the team with a career-high 106 tackles (52 solos) from his middle linebacker position. He had 2.5 sacks, 4.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage and one interception. He caused and recovered a pair of fumbles and blocked a kick, earning All-Big East second-team recognition.

In 47 games at Syracuse, Smith started 46 contests. He finished his career with 316 tackles (185 solos), 5.5 sacks for minus-26 yards, 21.5 stops for losses of 57 yards and four quarterback pressures. He caused and recovered two fumbles, blocked one kick and had seven pass deflections. He also gained 41 yards with a touchdown on five interception returns.

Positives: Well-built athlete with a V-shaped neck and long torso, thick chest, broad shoulders with very good arm muscles, defined calves and thighs … Good short-area pass defender who has the functional quickness to cover tight ends and backs … Decent blitzer when given a clean lane to operate in … Hard worker in the weight room, but any more bulk on his frame will affect his overall quickness … Plays with adequate quickness, but is best served staying inside the box rather than cover defenders in space … Gets a bit out of control closing on the ball, but when he connects, he generates good pop on contact … Has good hands and timing to compete for the ball in flight … Times his blitzes well, showing the closing speed to flush the quarterback out of the pocket … Not as instinctive as the coaches indicate, but makes good adjustments to action in front of him … Has the strength to step up and take on lead blockers, but fails to do it with consistency … Has enough closing speed to make some plays at the corners … Adequate wrap-up tackler, but is better inside than in the open field … Can level off playing in the shallow zone, and when he stays in control he takes proper angles to close.

Negatives: Frame is at maximum growth potential and any more bulk (muscles) will affect his quickness and decrease his hip snap … Seems a step late reacting to the thrown ball and will then get out of control in his pursuit, missing on quite a few open-field tackle opportunities … Needs to be quicker reading keys and diagnosing plays, and must play with more aggression, as he seems to coast at times … His weight room strength fails to translate to the field at times, as he stays on blocks too long and does not use his hands effectively to shed … Has some range to close on outside plays, but when he fails to read the play immediately he is late getting over the top … Has adequate speed, but his feet seem to die when having to run long distances … Lacks body control and needs to get into position better before attempting to make the tackle … Limited in pass coverage, as he is too stiff in his hips to open up and turn out of his breaks well … Better in the shallow zone, as he tends to over-run his position assignment when playing the deep third of the field … More of a straight-line blitzer, lacking moves to counter when a blocker gets into his chest … Has to keep his pad level lower, as he gets washed out of the play when he stands too tall and narrows his base … Marginal downhill player who can make some outside plays, but lacks the range to move laterally with ease … Will take false steps out of transition and needs to gather before redirecting.

Compares To: ROB MORRIS-Indianapolis … Like Morris, Smith can play inside and outside positions, but neither is the "blow ?em up" type of tacklers teams look for. Smith certainly has the body to play a physical game, but he gets out of control too much, lacks an instinctive feel for the ball and struggles to break down plays. There is too much lacking in his game for a team to be confident he will produce big numbers at the next level.

Only the seventh player in school history to lead the team in tackles in consecutive seasons (2005-06), and the first to do so since his uncle, Keith Bulluck (104 in 1998 and 138 in 1999).

All-Big East Conference second-team selection … Manned the middle linebacker position, leading the team with a career-high 106 tackles (52 solos), ranking second in the Big East … Credited with 2.5 sacks for minus 9 yards, 4.5 stops for losses of 14 yards and one quarterback pressure … Recovered and caused a pair of fumbles … Deflected a pass, blocked a kick and gained 9 yards on an interception return … Served as team co-captain … Produced at least 10 tackles in five contests.

Wake Forest … Opened the season in explosive fashion, posting sixteen tackles (13 solos) with a 5-yard sack to earn Big East Defensive Player of the Week honors.

Iowa … Followed with thirteen tackles (5 solos).

Illinois … Registered seven tackles (3 solos) and assisted in sacking QB Tim Brasic for a 6-yard loss.

Miami (Oh.) … Blocked a field goal attempt and came up with seven tackles (6 assists).

Wyoming … Posted thirteen tackles (6 solos) with a 1-yard sack of QB Jacob Doss.

Pittsburgh … Came up with six tackles (2 solos).

West Virginia … Collected nine hits (2 solos).

Louisville … Recovered a fumble, returned an interception 9 yards and delivered five tackles (3 solos) with a pressure.

Cincinnati … Caused a fumble and was in on ten tackles (5 solos).

South Florida … Had eleven tackles (9 solos) with a stop for a 3-yard loss and a forced fumble.

Connecticut … Credited with nine hits (3 solos).

Rutgers … Closed out his career with nine tackles (6 solos).

Shifted to middle linebacker, starting all eleven games … Led the team with 89 tackles (51 solos), tacking on two sacks for minus 13 yards and seven stops for losses of 21 yards … Caused one fumble, batted away three passes and intercepted another … Recorded at least ten tackles in three contests … Also had two quarterback pressures.

Opened the season with eight tackles (6 solos) vs. West Virginia … Posted seven hits (4 solos) with 1.5 stops for minus 4 yards vs. Buffalo … Registered eight tackles (5 solos) and a stop behind the line of scrimmage vs. Virginia … Had six tackles and a pass break-up vs. Florida State and added ten tackles (6 solos) with a stop for a 1-yard loss in the Connecticut clash … Registered another ten tackles and had a 5-yard sack vs. Rutgers … Was in on eight tackles (6 solos) and an 8-yard sack vs. Cincinnati … Produced seven tackles (5 solos) in the South Florida game … Collected twelve tackles (6 solos) with 1.5 stops for losses, two pressures, a pass deflection and a forced fumble vs. Notre Dame.

Started all twelve games at strong-side outside linebacker … Finished sixth on the squad with 53 tackles (32 solos) … Made four stops for losses of 8 yards and had one quarterback pressure … Deflected two passes and intercepted two others for 26 yards in returns, including one touchdown … Made 127 appearances on the special teams coverage units.

At Purdue, had three solo stops … At Buffalo, had an interception and returned it 22 yards for his first collegiate touchdown and had two tackles … Against Cincinnati, picked off his second pass of the season and tallied seven tackles, including five solo and one for a loss of two yards … At Virginia, tallied his season-best eight tackles … Against Rutgers, recorded five solo tackles, a pass breakup and a quarterback hurry … Against Florida State, had seven tackles, including four solo and one for a loss … At West Virginia, tied his season-high with eight tackles, including four solo … Against Connecticut, had two solo stops … Against Pittsburgh, had three solo tackles, including one for a loss … At Temple, posted seven tackles, including two solo … At Boston College, recorded one tackle assist, before leaving the game with a left hand injury.

Freshman All-American third-team and Freshman All-Big East first-team selection by The Sporting News … Took over starting strong-side outside linebacker duties in the season's second game, replacing Jameel Dumas after Dumas sustained a season-ending injury at North Carolina … Also played on the punt protection, and PAT/FG defense special teams units … Recorded 68 tackles (50 solos) with a 4-yard sack and seven stops for losses of 16 yards … Returned an interception 6 yards and deflected one pass.

At North Carolina, had two solo tackles, including stopping Jacques Lewis on UNC's two-point conversion attempt in the third overtime to win the game … Posted seven tackles, including five solo stops and one for a loss of two yards vs. Louisville … Against Central Florida, recorded six tackles, including five solo stops, and returned an interception six yards … Made five tackles, including four unassisted, against Toledo … At Virginia Tech, posted five solo tackles and three assists … Against Boston College, had three solo tackles, including one for a loss of one yard … Had six tackles, including four solo stops and one for a loss of two yards, at Pittsburgh … Made 10 tackles, including seven solo and his first career sack, and broke up one pass vs. Temple … At Miami, recorded seven tackles, including four solo and one for a loss of six yards … Made three solo tackles versus West Virginia … Had six solo tackles and two assists at Rutgers … Had three tackles versus Notre Dame.

Redshirted as a freshman.

2004: Left the Boston College game in the third quarter with a left hand contusion … Played in the Champs Sports Bowl vs. Georgia Tech with a hairline fracture in his left hand.

2005: Bothered in mid-October with turf toe, but did not miss any game action.

2007: Could not complete agility tests at the Combine due to a right hamstring pull.

Campus: 4.74 in the 40-yard dash (against the wind) … 4.7 in the 40-yard dash (wind-aided) … Bench pressed 225 pounds 20 times … 352-pound hang clean … 33.5-inch vertical jump … 9'4" broad jump … 31 3/8-inch arm length … 9-inch hands … Right-handed.

Combine: 4.82 in the 40-yard dash … 1.65 10-yard dash … 2.8 20-yard dash … 4.42 20-yard shuttle … 12.25 60-yard shuttle … 7.19 three-cone drill … 32-inch vertical jump … 9'2" broad jump … Bench pressed 225 pounds 26 times.

Attended North Rockland (Thiells, N.Y.) High School, playing football for head coach Joe

Casarella … Named the New York Sportswriters' Association Section 1 Player of the Year as a senior … Added Prep Star All-American honors and was rated the 12th-best prospect from New York by Super Prep … First-team Class AA All-State Defense pick during his final season … Led the team to an 11-2 record and a state championship semifinalist berth in 2001 … That year, he registered 150 tackles, six interceptions, three fumble recoveries, 700 rushing yards and seven touchdowns in his final 11 games … Competed at defensive end, middle linebacker and occasionally played fullback during his three-year career.

Selected Studies major, enrolled in the School of Human Services and Health Professions … Nephew of former Syracuse All-American and current Tennessee Titans All-Pro linebacker Keith Bulluck … Godfather, Seth Joyner, was an All-Pro linebacker for the Philadelphia Eagles … Son of Felicia Avery and Kelvin Smith, Sr … Born Kelvin V. Smith on 3/20/84 … Resides in New Hempstead, New York.