Donald Smith (defensive back) facts for kids
| Date of birth: | February 21, 1968 |
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| Place of birth: | Danville, Virginia, U.S. |
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Career information
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| Status: | Retired |
| CFL status: | Import |
| Position(s): | CB |
| College: | Liberty |
| NFL Draft: | 1990 / Round: 10 / Pick: 271 |
| Drafted by: | Minnesota Vikings |
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Organizations
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| CFL East All-Star: | 1993, 1994, 1998 |
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Career stats
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| Playing stats at DatabaseFootball.com | |
Donald Smith, born on February 21, 1968, is a former American football player. He was a talented cornerback, a position in football. Donald played in both the Canadian Football League (CFL) and the National Football League (NFL). He was part of teams like the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Memphis Mad Dogs, Toronto Argonauts, and Hamilton Tiger-Cats in Canada. He also played for the Dallas Cowboys in the NFL. Before becoming a pro, he played college football at Liberty University.
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Early Life and College Football
Donald Smith grew up in Danville, Virginia. He went to George Washington High School. There, he was a star athlete in football, basketball, and track. He earned special awards for playing well in these sports.
After high school, Donald received a football scholarship. He went to Liberty University to play cornerback. His coach was Sam Rutigliano. In his third year of college, he caught 5 interceptions. In his final year, he caught 3 interceptions. He ended his college career by batting down 26 passes.
Playing Professional Football
Donald Smith played professional football for several teams. He spent time in both the NFL and the CFL.
Starting in the NFL
The Minnesota Vikings picked Donald in the 1990 NFL draft. He was chosen in the tenth round. However, he was released from the team on September 3.
In 1991, the Dallas Cowboys signed him. He played in three games for the Cowboys. On October 17, he was released again. Later, on December 6, he joined their practice squad. This meant he trained with the team but didn't usually play in games.
Playing in the CFL
In 1992, Donald moved to Canada. He signed with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the Canadian Football League. He helped the team reach the Grey Cup finals, which is the CFL's championship game. That year, he made 67 tackles and 3 interceptions. He also scored a touchdown by returning a punt 71 yards. The Blue Bombers reached the Grey Cup finals again the next year. Donald was named an East Division All-Star in 1993 and 1994. This means he was one of the best cornerbacks in his division.
In 1995, Donald joined the Memphis Mad Dogs, another CFL team. He was named a South Division All-Star. He had a great season with 50 tackles and 5 interceptions.
From 1996 to 1999, Donald played for the Toronto Argonauts. During his time with the Argonauts, he helped them win two Grey Cup Championships. They won in 1996 and 1997. He was again named an East Division All-Star in 1998.
His last professional season was in 2000. He played for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats before retiring.
Life After Football
After his playing career, Donald Smith became a coach. From 2001 to 2002, he was an assistant football coach at Liberty University, his old college. Today, he works as a special education teacher at O.T. Bonner Middle School. He also coaches football and wrestling at George Washington High School, where he went to school.
