Roquan Smith
BALTIMORE RAVENS
| Position | College | Years in the NFL |
|---|---|---|
| Linebacker | University of Georgia | 6 |
Demonstrates Excellence on the Field
As a linebacker at the University of Georgia, Roquan Smith had 232 career tackles and in 2017 was named MVP of the SEC Championship game as well as the SEC Defensive Player of the Year by the Associated Press.
The Chicago Bears selected Roquan Smith in the first round (eighth overall) of the 2018 NFL Draft.
He played his first four full seasons (2018-21) and the first eight games of 2022 with the Bears prior to a mid- season trade to Baltimore. He started the final nine games for the Ravens, registering 86 tackles (51 solo), 7 TFL (tackles for loss), 2 sacks, and 1 INT (interception), en route to his first-career Pro Bowl and first-team Associated Press All-Pro selection. Smith finished 2022 with 169 total tackles between Baltimore (86) and Chicago (83), the third most in the NFL, becoming the first player since at least 2000 to record 75+ tackles with multiple teams.
In 2022, he won the Butkus Award as the NFL's top linebacker and earned AFC Defensive Player of the Month honors in Dec.-Jan.
Through nine games this season, Smith owned a team-high 82 tackles (44 solo), 3 TFL (tackles for loss) and 1.5 sacks for a dominant Ravens defense that ranked No. 1 in points allowed per game (15.1), No. 2 in yards allowed per game (276.5), and No. 3 in the red zone (35%). Through nine games, Smith was the NFL's only defender with at least 80 tackles, 5 PD (passes defensed), and 1 sack.
Demonstrates Dedication and Commitment to Community Efforts this Year
In 2023, Smith launched the Roquan Smith Foundation with the mission to strengthen families by providing programs and services focused on parenting, vocational training, behavioral health, and financial literacy. To kick off the 2023-24 school year, he hosted a back-to-school event at Henderson Hopkins Elementary School in Baltimore City, offering the students free haircuts, school supplies, food, books, and more. An advocate for youth sports, Smith annually hosts youth football camps in his Georgia hometown and across Maryland.
He remains highly active in helping others during the holiday season as well. Smith served as host of the Ravens' 18th Annual Holiday Helpers event, where he'll take 60 students on a shopping spree around Target. In addition, he donated gifts to families affected by domestic violence and gifted 700 turkeys and sides to families in-need throughout Baltimore and Georgia.
Smith also prioritizes honoring our military and first-responders. This past Memorial Day, Smith joined the Ravens in recognizing T.A.P.S. (Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors) families by decorating one-of-a-kind wooden flags with them. This past June, Smith joined the NFL-USO tour and visited with U.S. service members and their families at military bases in Okinawa, Japan. He also visited with police and fire stations on 9/11 to thank them for their service and honor the first responders that we lost that fateful day.
Demonstrates Dedication and Commitment to Community Efforts in Years Past
From the day of his trade to the Ravens in October 2022, Smith has embraced the Baltimore community.
Last Thanksgiving, he helped distribute hundreds of turkeys to Baltimore-area families and served hot meals to 5,000 underserved people alongside his fellow teammates and the Salvation Army.
He also helped distribute warm-weather gear to the homeless at the Helping Up Mission and surprised a family in Baltimore City with a brand-new HVAC unit alongside BGE Home.
For Christmas, Smith purchased gifts for children at the SAFE Alternative Foundation for Education and shopped with kids during the holidays.
He quickly became a consistent figure at numerous Ravens' community events and is also a constant supporter of his team's charitable programs, such as football camps, the Ravens' Caw to Action initiative, and the PLAY 60 program which encourages kids to be active and healthy.
Smith has even organized several of his own initiatives. He recently connected with the House of Ruth Maryland to provide the women's shelter with brand-new mattresses and donated season tickets to the families served.
He also continues to give back in hometown of Macon County, Georgia. Smith annually hosts free football camps for kids in the area and donates Thanksgiving meals to families during the holidays. During COVID, he helped launch a Mask Up Macon County campaign and donated hundreds of masks and face coverings. He also sponsors gift giveaways in his hometown each year.
Demonstrates Consistency in Positive Character and Models a Lifestyle of Giving Back
After his arrival in Baltimore, Smith became a profound leader on and off the field. There are few people throughout the entire Ravens organization that Smith is not on a first-name basis with. He is always looking for ways to use his platform to help others and create better opportunities for less-fortunate individuals, families, and communities. When Smith changed his jersey number from 18 to 0, he hosted a free jersey exchange at a small business for the first 200 fans that brought in his old jersey. He then donated all of the returned jerseys to children in foster care. He has a heart for giving back and showcases that generosity every day. Philanthropy is at the core of who he is. The Baltimore Ravens are proud to select Smith as their Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year.
