{{Short description|American football player (born 1992)}} {{redirect|Derron|a similar given name|Deron}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}} {{Infobox NFL biography | name = Derron Smith | image = | caption = | current_team = | number = 40, 31, 36 | position = Safety | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1992|2|4}} | birth_place = Banning, California, U.S. | height_ft = 5 | height_in = 10 | weight_lbs = 195 | draftyear = 2015 | draftround = 6 | draftpick = 197 | highlights = * 3× First-team All-Mountain West (2012, 2013, 2014) | high_school = Banning | college = Fresno State | pastteams = * Cincinnati Bengals ({{NFL Year|2015}}–{{NFL Year|2017}}) * Cleveland Browns ({{NFL Year|2017}}) * San Antonio Commanders ({{AAF Year|2019}}) * Minnesota Vikings ({{NFL Year|2019}})* * Dallas Renegades ({{XFL Year|2020}}) | status = | statlabel1 = Total tackles | statvalue1 = 17 | statlabel2 = Pass deflections | statvalue2 = 1 | pfr = SmitDe05 }}

'''Derron Smith''' (born February 4, 1992) is an American former professional football player who was a safety in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Fresno State Bulldogs.

==Early life== Smith attended Banning High School in Banning, California, where he was a three-sport star in football, basketball and track. He played as a safety, quarterback and punter for the Banning Broncos high school football team. As a senior, he had 109 tackles and six interceptions on defense, while also rushing for 1,579 yards with 13 touchdowns on offense. He was a standout on his basketball team, averaging more than 17 points per game.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gobulldogs.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/derron_smith_716696.html |title=Derron Smith Bio - Fresno State Official Athletic Site |website=www.gobulldogs.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130906073742/http://www.gobulldogs.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/derron_smith_716696.html |archive-date=2013-09-06}}</ref>

Also an outstanding track & field athlete, Smith was one of the state's top long jumpers. At the 2010 CIF-SS Division 3 Meet, he posted the top-qualifying mark in the long jump at 7.13 meters (23&nbsp;ft, 2 in), but he had his result stripped by the head official. Smith's marks would have likely won the meet since the winner of the event posted marks lower than both of Smith's efforts.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.recordgazette.net/sports/article_54fdbba2-988a-56fa-bc89-c9054375212d.html|title = Derron Smith, no stranger to disqualification| date=June 24, 2011 }}</ref>

Smith was regarded as a three-star recruit by both ''Rivals.com'' and ''Scout.com''.<ref>[https://sports.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recruiting/player-Derron-Smith-87784 Rivals.com]</ref> He was ranked as the No. 83 overall player and the No. 35 in his position in the state of California. He chose Fresno State over scholarship offers from Nebraska, San Diego State, and UNLV, among others.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Derron-Smith-87784 |title=Derron Smith - Yahoo! Sports |access-date=2015-03-08 |archive-date=2015-04-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150404040329/https://sports.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Derron-Smith-87784 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==College career== As a true freshman at Fresno State University in 2010, Smith played on special teams and as a backup safety. He finished the year with 28 tackles. As a sophomore in 2011, Smith played in only three games due to a broken arm and received a medical hardship waiver from the NCAA.<ref>[http://www.recordgazette.net/news/image_7fc6fba3-45f5-5a91-8d69-3f62c419aa4c.html Despite broken arm, Derron Smith among leaders in interceptions]</ref> He finished the season with 16 tackles and an interception. As a redshirt sophomore in 2012, Smith was a first-team All-Mountain West Conference selection after recording 79 tackles and six interceptions. As a junior in 2013, he was again a first-team All-Mountain West selection after recording 87 tackles, eight interceptions and four sacks.<ref>[https://www.pressenterprise.com/2014/08/23/college-football-bannings-smith-makes-it-big/ COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Banning's Smith makes it big]</ref> Smith returned his senior season in 2014.<ref>[https://www.nfl.com/news/fresno-state-s-derron-smith-aiming-to-improve-nfl-draft-stock-0ap3000000383072 Fresno State's Derron Smith aiming to improve NFL draft stock]</ref><ref>[http://www.recordgazette.net/sports/article_9d8a4ef6-2979-11e4-be64-001a4bcf887a.html Smith decides to hold off on NFL Draft, will play another season in Fresno]</ref> He entered the season as the active Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) leader in interceptions with 14.<ref>[http://www.reporterherald.com/sports/ci_26218259/fresno-state-safety-derron-smith-leads-list-5 Fresno State safety Derron Smith leads list of 5 Mountain West Players to Watch]</ref>

==Professional career== {{nfl predraft | height ft = 5 | height in = 10 | weight = 200 | dash = 4.61 | ten split = 1.58 | twenty split = 2.61 | shuttle = 4.44 | cone drill = 6.95 | vertical = 34 | broad ft = 10 | broad in = 3 | bench = 18 | wonderlic = | arm span = 29¾ | hand span = 9 | note = All values from NFL Combine/Pro Day<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.nfl.com/prospects/derron-smith/3219534d-4920-1550-a21f-0d3b6d095fd0 |title=Derron Smith Combine Profile |website=NFL.com |access-date=October 3, 2020}}</ref> }}

===Cincinnati Bengals=== Smith was selected 197th overall by the Cincinnati Bengals in the sixth round of the 2015 NFL draft.<ref>{{cite web|title=2015 NFL Draft: Bengals Select Fresno State Safety Derron Smith|url=http://www.cincyjungle.com/2015/5/2/8536925/2015-nfl-draft-bengals-select-fresno-state-safety-derron-smith-in|author=Cosenza, Anthony|website=CincyJungle.com|date=May 2, 2015|accessdate=April 21, 2017}}</ref>

On November 4, 2017, Smith was released by the Bengals and was re-signed to the practice squad.<ref>{{cite web|title=Bengals sign kicker, cut Derron Smith|url=http://www.bengals.com/news/article-1/Bengals-sign-kicker-cut-Derron-Smith/328a8ccf-0737-49c8-9b0d-a36ecafc79b6|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180108234627/http://www.bengals.com/news/article-1/Bengals-sign-kicker-cut-Derron-Smith/328a8ccf-0737-49c8-9b0d-a36ecafc79b6|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 8, 2018|author=Hobson, Geoff|website=Bengals.com|date=November 4, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Bengals roster news: Derron Smith replaces Scott Orndoff on practice squad|url=https://www.cincyjungle.com/2017/11/7/16620528/bengals-roster-news-derron-smith-scott-orndoff-practice-squad|author=Marcum, Jason|website=CincyJungle.com|date=November 7, 2017}}</ref>

===Cleveland Browns=== On November 9, 2017, Smith was signed by the Cleveland Browns off the Bengals practice squad.<ref>{{cite web|title=Browns sign DB Derron Smith|url=http://www.clevelandbrowns.com/news/article-5/Browns-sign-DB-Derron-Smith/a32a6848-0f02-4030-bce6-1ca8b1d97620|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180213221448/http://www.clevelandbrowns.com/news/article-5/Browns-sign-DB-Derron-Smith/a32a6848-0f02-4030-bce6-1ca8b1d97620|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 13, 2018|website=ClevelandBrowns.com|date=November 9, 2017}}</ref> He was waived on August 31, 2018.<ref>{{cite web|title=Browns reduce roster to 72|url=https://www.clevelandbrowns.com/news/browns-reduce-roster-to-72|website=ClevelandBrowns.com|date=August 31, 2018}}</ref>

===San Antonio Commanders=== In December 2018, Smith signed with the San Antonio Commanders of the Alliance of American Football (AAF).<ref>{{cite news|last=Brown|first=Obrey|url=https://www.recordgazette.net/derron-smith-launches-another-bid-to-play-pro-ball/article_1997439a-1a76-11e9-97be-43541ed423f2.html|title=Derron Smith launches another bid to play pro ball|newspaper=Record Gazette|date=January 17, 2019|accessdate=February 4, 2019}}</ref>

===Minnesota Vikings=== On April 5, 2019, Smith signed with the Minnesota Vikings.<ref>{{cite web|title=Vikings Sign CB Duke Thomas and S Derron Smith|url=https://www.vikings.com/news/vikings-sign-cb-duke-thomas-and-s-derron-smith|author=Smith, Eric|website=Vikings.com|date=April 5, 2019}}</ref> He was released during final roster cuts on August 31, 2019.<ref>{{cite web|title=Vikings Announce Roster Moves, Set Initial 53-Man Roster|url=https://www.vikings.com/news/vikings-2019-roster-cuts-53-man-roster|website=Vikings.com|date=August 31, 2019}}</ref>

===Dallas Renegades=== In October 2019, Smith was selected by the Dallas Renegades of the XFL in the 2020 XFL draft.<ref>{{cite web|last=Bender|first=Bill|url=https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/news/xfl-draft-tracker-results-picks-list-rosters-football-league/jahz8p84e4i61hb8lajqs4a22|title=XFL Draft picks 2019: Complete results, rosters, players for new football league|website=Sporting News|date=October 21, 2019|accessdate=October 22, 2019}}</ref> He had his contract terminated when the league suspended operations on April 10, 2020.<ref>{{cite news |author=Condotta, Bob |title=XFL suspends operations, terminates all employees, but Jim Zorn says he has hopes league will continue |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/xfl-suspends-operations-terminates-all-employees/ |website=SeattleTimes.com |date=April 10, 2020 |accessdate=July 17, 2020}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist|30em}}

==External links== *[http://www.gobulldogs.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/derron_smith_716696.html Fresno State Bulldogs bio] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141102083115/http://www.gobulldogs.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/derron_smith_716696.html |date=2014-11-02 }}

{{Bengals2015DraftPicks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Derron}} Category:1992 births Category:Living people Category:American football safeties Category:Cincinnati Bengals players Category:Cleveland Browns players Category:Dallas Renegades players Category:Fresno State Bulldogs football players Category:Minnesota Vikings players Category:People from Banning, California Category:San Antonio Commanders players Category:Players of American football from Riverside County, California Category:21st-century African-American sportsmen Category:21st-century American sportsmen