Roquan Daevon Smith was born on April 8,1997 and is an American football inside linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League.
19 Facts About Roquan Smith
2.
Roquan Smith attended Macon County High School in Montezuma, Georgia, where he played football for the Bulldogs.
3.
Roquan Smith originally committed to the University of California, Los Angeles to play college football but changed his commitment to the University of Georgia.
4.
In 2017, Roquan Smith was named MVP of the SEC Championship Game, as well as SEC Defensive Player of the Year by the Associated Press.
5.
Roquan Smith became the first Georgia Bulldog to win the Butkus Award.
6.
Roquan Smith decided to forgo his final year of eligibility and entered the 2018 NFL Draft.
7.
Roquan Smith was drafted by the Chicago Bears with the eighth overall pick in the first-round of the 2018 NFL Draft.
8.
Roquan Smith's contract signing was significantly delayed due to contract disputes between the Bears and Smith's agency CAA Football over language in his rookie contract stating whether his guaranteed money would be reclaimed by the team if he was suspended due to the NFL's new rule outlawing contact leading with the helmet.
9.
CAA argued for wording that would protect Roquan Smith's guaranteed earnings, while the Bears preferred for decisions to be determined by the league, a situation that was exacerbated by skepticism surrounding the rule and the frequency of tackling in Roquan Smith's role.
10.
Roquan Smith was the last first-round pick in his draft class to sign with his team.
11.
In Week 6 against the Miami Dolphins, Roquan Smith made 13 tackles.
12.
Roquan Smith finished the season with 121 tackles, five sacks, five passes defended, and one interception.
13.
Roquan Smith received an overall grade of 67.4 from Pro Football Focus in 2018, which ranked him as the 39th highest grade among all qualifying linebackers, and was selected as Pro Bowl alternate.
14.
On December 9,2019, Roquan Smith was placed on injured reserve after suffering a torn pectoral in Week 14.
15.
Roquan Smith was the team's first linebacker to achieve the feat since Lance Briggs in 2008.
16.
Roquan Smith finished the season with one interception and 163 total tackles, the fifth-most in the NFL.
17.
On January 10,2023, Roquan Smith signed a five-year, $100 million extension with the Ravens, including $45 million fully guaranteed with $60 million in total guarantees, making him the highest-paid off-ball linebacker in the league.
18.
In May 2023, Roquan Smith changed his number to '0,' becoming the first Raven to ever wear that number.
19.
On May 8,2018, nearly two weeks after being drafted, it was reported that Roquan Smith's car was burglarized in Athens, Georgia, where a team-issued iPad along with some of Roquan Smith's personal belongings, including his college jerseys, helmet, and awards were stolen from his car.