#MizzouMade: Jacquies Smith Shines After Long Road to NFL
9/21/2015 9:58:00 AM | Football
COLUMBIA, Mo. – 'Mizzou Made' is a phrase that has come to define a lifestyle for everyone who has come through Gary Pinkel's program at Mizzou. While there are plenty of fine examples of young men who have come to epitomize this culture, NFL sacks leader Jacquies Smith currently may be the finest example of what it means to be Mizzou Made.
After signing as an undrafted free agent with the Dolphins following his senior season at Mizzou, Smith bounced around to three NFL practice teams while even singing with the Canadian Football League in 2012. But through the principles instilled in him through Mizzou Football, he continued to grind and work hard. That work earned him a spot with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in September of 2014 after being claimed off waivers. Despite missing the bulk of training camp, Smith excelled in 2014, earning eight starts and tallying 6.5 sacks and a forced fumble in his eight starts.
Through two weeks of NFL action in 2015, Smith is ahead of names like J.J. Watt, Justin Houston, Aaron Donald and Julius Peppers with an NFL-high 4.0 sacks. He was part of a Buccaneers defense that limited Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints to just 19 points in a 26-19 win yesterday while tallying three sacks and forcing a pair of fumbles as the Mizzou Made product lived in the backfield. Dating back to last season, Smith has 10.5 sacks over this last 11 games.
Below is some internet reaction of Smith's performance yesterday.
- The Tampa Tribune: Bucs' Jacquies Smith showing explosiveness in disrupting QBs
- Tampa Bay Times: Jacquies Smith leads Bucs with 3 sacks vs. Saints
- Tampa Bay Times: Jacquies Smith takes advantage of Bucs break
- VIDEO: Jacquies Smith Talks About a Division Win
- VIDEO: Determined: Jacquies Smith
For all the latest on Mizzou Football, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team on Twitter @MizzouFootball and like us on Instagram (MizzouFootball) and Facebook (Mizzou Football).
Through three games, Bucs DE @Jachalp3 leads the league with four sacks. Had three yesterday. #Undrafted pic.twitter.com/nIAYCuXb3x
— JennaLaineBucs (@JennaLaineBucs) September 21, 2015
DETERMINED. #MizzouMade @Jachalp3's story about his journey to the #NFL which led to his 3 sack day yesterday: http://t.co/MJZN3pmspH GP
— Coach Gary Pinkel (@GaryPinkel) September 21, 2015
Jacquies Smith was undrafted, had stops with the Dolphins, Jets and Bills, went to the CFL and landed with Tampa. He leads the NFL in sacks.
— Michael David Smith (@MichaelDavSmith) September 21, 2015
Jacquies Smith was undrafted, had stops with the Dolphins, Jets and Bills, went to the CFL and landed with Tampa. He leads the NFL in sacks.
— Michael David Smith (@MichaelDavSmith) September 21, 2015
5 #Bucs standouts from today's win in New Orleans. READ: http://t.co/536OTgTaBo #TBvsNO pic.twitter.com/qmQ5gBYnm0
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@TBBuccaneers) September 21, 2015
HOW ABOUT THREE!!!! @Jachalp3 gets to Brees AGAIN! #TBvsNO pic.twitter.com/wICVw8sTFs
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@TBBuccaneers) September 20, 2015
#MizzouMade DL @Jachalp3 getting to the QB all day today! #DLINEZOU https://t.co/RluK0ifYxJ
— Mizzou Football (@MizzouFootball) September 20, 2015
Big play by the #Bucs defense as @Jachalp3 comes through with the strip sack recovered by NO on their own 1! pic.twitter.com/KHkgRrEwny
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@TBBuccaneers) September 20, 2015
Jacquies Smith quietly becoming Mizzou's best undrafted NFL player of Pinkel era. https://t.co/zdSetMy7Cv
— Dave Matter (@Dave_Matter) September 21, 2015
