Former Razorback, NFL defensive end Chris Smith dead at 31
FAYETTEVILLE — Former Arkansas Razorback defensive end and NFL player Chris Smith has passed away at the age of 31.
Smith’s passing was confirmed by his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, his high school in North Carolina, and the Cleveland Browns on Tuesday. His cause of death has not been announced.
The Cleveland Browns, for whom Smith played in 2018 and 2019, posted on their official Twitter site that the organization was saddened by his passing.
“Chris was one of the kindest people, teammates and friends we’ve had in our organization,” team officials wrote in their post.
Smith, a native of Salisbury, N.C., signed with the Razorbacks in 2010 and emerged as a standout his final two seasons with 18 sacks in 2012 and ’13. He racked up 122 tackles and 21.5 sacks during his career at Arkansas.
Smith spent all or parts of eight seasons in the NFL with six franchises after being drafted in the fifth round with the 159th pick of the 2014 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Smith’s last season in the NFL was in 2021 with the Houston Texans.
He was playing with the Seattle Sea Dragons of the XFL this season and had accumulated five tackles in four games.
Read more on this developing story in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
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