James L. Smith III

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James Leon Smith III (JT SMITH) (born August 1, 1967, Baltimore, Maryland) is a former American football player. Smith was a sports star at Milford Mill High School in Baltimore, where he was a teammate of future Atlanta Braves player Brian Jordan. Smith was the Baltimore Sun player of the year in 1985 for baseball and football and Maryland Sport magazine's Athlete of the Year. Smith was named all-state for 3 years in football and baseball, as a quarterback and defensive back in football and pitcher and center fielder in baseball.

Selected in the 1985 amateur draft by the St. Louis Cardinals in baseball, Smith instead signed with the University of Tennessee. Smith went on to letter in football and baseball for 4 years and was named All-SEC in baseball three times and football twice, and was an AP second team All-American in baseball. In 1989, he was selected in the second round of the amateur baseball draft by the Minnesota Twins, and selected in the third round of the 1989 NFL draft by the Phoenix Cardinals. Smith signed with the Cardinals and played three years on special teams and as a reserve strong safety. A knee injury in the 1991 preseason ended his pro career.

Smith then tried a baseball comeback, signing as a free agent in 1992 with Minnesota, but injured his throwing shoulder in a center field collision with the wall in spring training.

Former teammate Brian Jordan has been quoted as saying "J is one of the top 3 athletes I have ever seen."