Chad Smith

Key special teams contributor early in his career who earned a starting role as a fifth-year senior … Entered 2019 bowl season credited with 142 tackles, 9.0 tackles for loss, 5.0 sacks, an interception, a pass breakup, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries in 797 snaps over 56 games (13 starts) in his career.

2019: Entered bowl season with 68 tackles (4.5 for loss), 3.5 sacks, an interception, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery in 517 snaps across 13 games (all starts) … posted seven tackles (one for loss) and a forced fumble vs. Georgia Tech … added five tackles vs. No. 12 Texas A&M … notched nine tackles including a sack at Syracuse … contributed two tackles vs. Charlotte … posted five tackles and contributed to the game-winning stop on a two-point conversion attempt at North Carolina …  notched two tackles and his first career interception vs. Florida State … recorded seven tackles including a nine-yard sack at Louisville … shared team defensive player of the game honors after leading Clemson with nine tackles vs. Boston College, including a sack in which he forced a fumble that Logan Rudolph returned 39 yards for a touchdown … led team with seven tackles at NC State and returned a fumble inside the Wolfpack 5 to set up a Clemson touchdown … added two tackles vs. Wake Forest … notched six tackles at South Carolina… recorded seven tackles (0.5 for loss) vs. No. 22 Virginia in the ACC Championship Game … named Defensive MVP of the Fiesta Bowl after posting 12 tackles (0.5 for loss) vs. No. 2 Ohio State.

2018: Credited with 35 tackles (2.0 for loss), 1.0 sack and a fumble recovery in 127 snaps over 15 games … made one tackle in season opener vs. Furman … recorded two tackles each in wins against Texas A&M, Georgia Southern, Georgia Tech and Wake Forest … contributed four tackles, including one for loss, at Florida State … posted five tackles including a sack vs. Louisville … added three tackles vs. Duke … contributed four tackles vs. South Carolina … registered five tackles and a fumble recovery against Pitt … added a tackle vs. No. 1 Alabama in the National Championship Game.

2017: Had 20 tackles, three tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks, three quarterback pressures, a pass breakup and caused fumble in 133 snaps over 13 games … had five tackles and 0.5 tackles for loss in 13 snaps against Kent State on Sept. 2 … had two tackles and a tackle for loss in 13 snaps against No. 13 Auburn on Sept. 9 … had a tackle and 0.5 sacks in 15 snaps at No. 14 Louisville on Sept. 16 … had a tackle for loss in 11 snaps at No. 12 Virginia Tech on Sept. 30 … had two special teams tackles and a caused fumble against Georgia Tech on Oct. 28; named team co-special teams player-of-the-game … had three tackles and a pass breakup in 39 snaps against Florida State on Nov. 11 … had three tackles in 12 snaps against No. 7 Miami (Fla.) in the ACC Championship Game on Dec. 2; named team co-special teams player-of-the-game.

2016: Shared defensive special teams player of the year honors with Tanner Muse … produced 19 tackles in 20 snaps over 13 games … matched Muse with a team-high 10 tackles on special teams … had three tackles against SC State, including one on special teams … named special teams player of the game at Georgia Tech after recovering a fumbled punt return … had three tackles, including two on special teams, in win over No. 3 Louisville … posted six tackles in only eight snaps at Boston College, including one that came on kickoff coverage … shared special teams player of the game honors with Greg Huegel at Florida State, where he had two tackles on kickoff coverage … posted special teams tackle against Pittsburgh … blocked a punt at Wake Forest … special teams player of the game against South Carolina after posting three tackles in coverage … assisted on a special teams tackle against Virginia Tech.

2015: Redshirted.

Before Clemson: Played in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl … No. 56 player and No. 6 linebacker in the nation and No. 2 player in Virginia by Rivals.com … No. 179 player and No. 14 linebacker in the nation and No. 9 player in Virginia by 247Sports.com … top-300 player and No. 19 linebacker in the nation and No. 10 player in Virginia by ESPN … participated in The Opening, where he was rated as the No. 3 athlete after competition with the other 161 players … played linebacker, safety, tight end and wide receiver … had 90 tackles (15 for loss) as a senior … had 118 yards on 19 carries, 24 receptions for 44 yards and seven touchdowns as a senior … had 72 tackles (13 for loss), six sacks, five interceptions and three blocked field goals as a junior … added 757 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns … two-time all-state, all-region and all-conference selection … coached by Karl Buckwalter … recruited by Brent Venables.

Personal: Graduated Aug. 10, 2018 with a degree in sports communication … two-time ACC Honor Roll selection … completed microinternships with RaceTrac in 2018 and G.E. in 2019 … comes from a family with extensive military ties and was selected to run the American flag down the hill for Clemson prior to its 2019 Military Appreciation Day game … born April 16, 1996.

*Courtesy Clemson Media Guide