| No. 26, 35 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Quarterback | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1911-07-14)July 14, 1911 Carrollton, Mississippi, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | August 9, 1999(1999-08-09) (aged 88) Mobile, Alabama, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 200 lb (91 kg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| High school | Columbus (Columbus, Mississippi) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| College | Alabama | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NFL draft | 1936: 1st round,2nd overall pick | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Coaching | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Awards and highlights | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Riley Henry Smith (July 14, 1911 – August 9, 1999) was an Americanfootball player, aquarterback for theBoston Redskins of theNational Football League (NFL) during the mid-1930s. He playedcollege football for theUniversity of Alabama, where he was recognized as a consensusAll-American. Drafted in the1936 NFL draft, he is known for being the first drafted player to play football in the NFL;Jay Berwanger, the only player drafted before him, never played due to salary disagreements. He was also thestarting quarterback in the first ever postseason game in Redskins history in 1936 when they made the NFL Championship Game.
After his NFL career ended, he became a coach.[1]
Born inCarrollton, Mississippi, Smith playedhigh school football forGreenwood High School, then moved toColumbus and played atColumbus High School.[2]
Smith attended theUniversity of Alabama inTuscaloosa, where he played quarterback for theCrimson Tide. He was a passer and runner, but could also block, punt, kick extra points, and boot field goals.[2] He was part of the1934 team that won theRose Bowl, was recognized as a consensus first-teamAll-American in1935, and also won theJacobs Blocking Trophy as the best blocker in theSoutheastern Conference.[2]
Smith played in theEast-West Shrine Game and theCollege All-Star Game.
Smith was the second player chosen (behindJay Berwanger) in the first-ever1936 NFL draft.[3] In1936 and1937 he missed only three minutes in 26 Redskins games, but an injury ended his playing career early.[2]
After retirement as a player, Smith became an assistant coach atWashington and Lee University inLexington, Virginia, where he was the backfield coach in 1939 in 1940, then succeededWarren E. Tilson as head coach in 1941.[4] He served in theU.S. Navy as alieutenant commander from 1942 to 1945 and then became a real estate developer inMobile, Alabama.[2]
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington and Lee Generals(Southern Conference)(1941) | |||||||||
| 1941 | Washington and Lee | 1–6–2 | 1–2–2 | 10th | |||||
| Washington and Lee: | 1–6–2 | 1–2–2 | |||||||
| Total: | 1–6–2 | ||||||||
.
