C. J. Smith (American football) facts for kids
| No. 35, 37 | |||
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| Position: | Cornerback | ||
| Personal information | |||
| Born: | May 10, 1993 Savage, Minnesota, U.S. |
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| Height: | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||
| Weight: | 189 lb (86 kg) | ||
| Career information | |||
| High school: | Burnsville (Burnsville, Minnesota) |
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| College: | North Dakota State | ||
| Undrafted: | 2016 | ||
| Career history | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||
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C. J. Smith (born May 10, 1993) is a former American football player. He played as a cornerback, which is a defensive position in football. C. J. Smith played college football at North Dakota State University. After college, he joined the Philadelphia Eagles even though he wasn't chosen in the 2016 NFL draft. This is called being an undrafted free agent. He also played for the Cleveland Browns and Denver Broncos. During his time in college, he helped his team win five national championships!
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Playing Professional Football
C. J. Smith had an interesting journey in professional football. He played for several teams and leagues during his career.
Time with the Philadelphia Eagles
C. J. Smith first signed with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2016. This happened right after the NFL draft, even though no team picked him. He was first part of the Eagles' practice squad. This is a group of players who train with the team but aren't on the main roster yet.
Later, he was moved up to the main team. This meant he could play in actual games. In 2017, he was released by the Eagles. He then rejoined their practice squad for a short time before leaving the team completely.
Playing for the Cleveland Browns
In September 2017, C. J. Smith joined the Cleveland Browns' practice squad. He was later moved to their main team in December of that year.
In 2018, the Browns tried to trade him to the Seattle Seahawks. However, the trade didn't happen because Smith didn't pass a physical exam. A physical exam checks if a player is healthy enough to play. So, he went back to the Browns. He was then released by the Browns in April 2018.
Joining the Denver Broncos
Right after being released by the Browns, C. J. Smith was picked up by the Denver Broncos in April 2018. This is called being "claimed off waivers." It means another team wanted him after he was released. He stayed with the Broncos until September 2018, when he was released again.
Other Football Leagues
In 2019, C. J. Smith played for the Salt Lake Stallions. This team was part of a new league called the Alliance of American Football. However, this league stopped operating in April 2019.
Later that year, he was chosen to play for the Dallas Renegades. This team was part of another new league called the XFL.
