Preston Smith Bio
Preston Demarquis Smith, born on November 17, 1992, in Atlanta, Georgia, is an American professional football linebacker who plays for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). Standing 6 feet 5 inches tall and listed at 265 pounds, he has built a reputation as a pass-rushing edge defender across multiple teams since entering the league in 2015. Over the course of his career, Smith has accumulated 467 total tackles, 71 sacks, 10 forced fumbles, 7 fumble recoveries, 28 pass deflections, 5 interceptions, and 2 defensive touchdowns. He is widely recognized for his work as an outside linebacker in 3-4 schemes and his ability to disrupt opposing backfields.
Early Life and Background
Preston Demarquis Smith was born on November 17, 1992, in Atlanta, Georgia, and grew up in the surrounding metropolitan area. He attended Stephenson High School in Stone Mountain, Georgia, where he developed into a collegiate-level football prospect. Coming out of high school, Smith was rated as a two-star recruit by 247Sports.com and Scout.com, and a three-star recruit by Rivals.com.
Despite the modest recruiting rankings, Smith drew attention from several college programs. He chose to play for the Mississippi State Bulldogs over scholarship offers from Kentucky, Syracuse, and West Virginia, among others. That decision set him on a path toward the Southeastern Conference, where he would eventually become one of the most disruptive defensive linemen in the conference.
Path to American Football
Smith’s path to professional football began during his four seasons with the Mississippi State Bulldogs from 2011 to 2014. As a true freshman in 2011, he appeared in 8 games and recorded a forced fumble in a 31-3 win over Ole Miss in the Egg Bowl. In 2012, he appeared in all 13 games and led the Bulldogs with 4.5 sacks, showing early signs of his pass-rushing potential.
As a junior in 2013, Smith recorded 2.5 sacks, including 2.0 in a 59-26 loss to LSU. During his senior season in 2014, he won the Southeastern Conference Defensive Lineman of the Week Award in each of the first three weeks of the season. He also recorded an interception in a 49-0 rout of Southern Miss and returned a one-handed interception for a touchdown in a win over UAB. He closed his senior year with 42 tackles, 9 sacks, 2 interceptions, and a touchdown, earning First-team All-SEC honors. By the end of his senior season, CBS and NFL Draft Scout projected him as a fourth-round pick in the 2015 NFL draft.
Preston Smith Career
Early Career (2015-2018)
The Washington Redskins selected Smith in the second round with the 38th overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft, making him the seventh defensive end taken that year. On May 11, 2015, the Redskins signed him to a four-year, $5.77 million contract that included $3.16 million guaranteed and a $2.46 million signing bonus. He competed throughout training camp for a backup role behind veteran Trent Murphy and opened the season as the backup right outside linebacker after Junior Galette sustained a season-ending injury.
Smith made his professional regular season debut in the Redskins’ season opener against the Miami Dolphins, recording two solo tackles, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, and his first career sack on quarterback Ryan Tannehill. He earned his first career start in Week 13 at the Chicago Bears and tied a career high with three sacks on Sam Bradford during a Week 16 win at the Philadelphia Eagles, earning Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week honors. Smith finished his rookie campaign with 35 combined tackles, 8 sacks, 4 pass deflections, 3 forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery in 16 games and 2 starts, helping the Redskins reach the playoffs.
Washington Redskins Breakthrough (2015-2018)
Smith was voted one of the best under-25 players in the NFL in March 2016 and entered training camp as a backup behind Junior Galette and Ryan Kerrigan. After Galette tore his Achilles during the 2016 preseason, head coach Jay Gruden named Smith the starting right outside linebacker. Against the Minnesota Vikings in November 2016, Smith recorded two sacks and his first career interception in a 26-20 win. He tied his career high of 8 sacks in the 2017 season and added interceptions against the Arizona Cardinals and New York Giants.
In 2018, Smith recovered a fumble caused by Ryan Kerrigan in the end zone to seal a Week 7 win against the Dallas Cowboys, scoring his first career touchdown. He also recorded his fourth career interception against Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson in Week 11. Across his four seasons in Washington, Smith established himself as a reliable edge defender and a key contributor to the Redskins’ defensive front.
Green Bay Packers Era (2019-2024)
On March 14, 2019, Smith signed with the Green Bay Packers on a four-year, $52 million contract. In his Packers debut against the Chicago Bears, he recorded 5 tackles and 1.5 sacks on Mitchell Trubisky in a 10-3 win. Against the Denver Broncos in Week 3, he posted 3 sacks on Joe Flacco and forced a fumble that was recovered by Green Bay in a 27-16 win, earning NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors. He closed his first season in Green Bay with 56 tackles, 12 sacks, and 4 pass deflections, including 2 sacks on Russell Wilson in the Divisional Round playoff win over the Seattle Seahawks.
After a disappointing 2020 campaign, Smith signed a restructured contract in March 2021 that included performance incentives tied to a 14-sack threshold, and he rebounded with 9 sacks as a full-time starter while Za’Darius Smith was injured. On March 14, 2022, he signed a four-year, $52.5 million extension with the Packers through the 2026 season. During the 2024 offseason, Smith switched positions from outside linebacker to defensive end after new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley installed a 4-3 defense, and he started nine games that year with 19 tackles and 2.5 sacks.
Pittsburgh Steelers Era (2024-2025)
On November 5, 2024, the Packers traded Smith to the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for a seventh-round pick in the 2025 NFL draft. With the Steelers running a 3-4 defense, Smith switched back to the outside linebacker position. He publicly stated that he was not comfortable with his new role as a defensive end in Hafley’s defense and had requested a trade, which the Packers honored. The Steelers released Smith on February 14, 2025.
Washington Commanders Era (2025-Present)
On September 17, 2025, Smith signed with the Washington Commanders, returning to the organization that originally drafted him a decade earlier. His reintroduction to Washington brought his career full circle and gave the Commanders a veteran edge presence for the 2025 season. As a player familiar with the team’s history and culture, Smith was expected to provide both leadership and on-field production in his second stint with the franchise.
Driving Style and Strengths
Smith is known for his length, leverage, and motor as a 3-4 outside linebacker, with the ability to set the edge against the run and rush the passer from a two-point stance. His strength lies in his pass-rushing instincts and his knack for forcing fumbles, traits that have defined his career since his rookie season. In Green Bay, he worked effectively alongside pass-rushing partners such as Za’Darius Smith and Rashan Gary, complementing their styles with steady production and disciplined play.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Smith’s signature moments, his three-sack performance against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 16 of his rookie season earned him Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week honors. His 12-sack debut season with the Packers in 2019, including 2 sacks on Russell Wilson in the Divisional Round, stands as one of his most productive years. He has also scored two career defensive touchdowns, the first on a fumble recovery against the Dallas Cowboys in 2018 and the second on a 14-yard fumble return against the Chicago Bears in 2020.
Preston Smith Career Wins
While individual sack totals are not team wins, Smith’s career has been marked by consistent production across all three of his primary NFL stops. He has played for teams that reached the playoffs, including the 2015 Washington Redskins and the 2019 Green Bay Packers, and his disruptive presence has contributed to many team victories over the years.
Washington Redskins and Commanders Highlights
During his first stint with the Washington Redskins from 2015 to 2018, Smith posted 8 sacks as a rookie and tied that career high in 2017, helping anchor a defensive front that featured Junior Galette and Ryan Kerrigan. He recorded his first career touchdown in 2018 on a fumble recovery against the Dallas Cowboys, sealing a divisional win. His return to the Washington Commanders in 2025 added another chapter to his years of service to the franchise.
Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers Highlights
With the Green Bay Packers, Smith’s 2019 debut season produced 12 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and 4 pass deflections, including a dominant 2-sack performance against Russell Wilson in the Divisional Round of the playoffs. He added 9 sacks in 2021 and signed a four-year extension in 2022. In his brief time with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2024, he returned to his natural outside linebacker role in a 3-4 defense before being released in February 2025.
Preston Smith Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Public records do not provide verified details about Preston’s parents or extended family background. Smith has kept his early family life largely private, and there is no widely confirmed information about a football lineage within his family.
Personal Life
Verified public details about Smith’s personal life, including marital status, spouse, and children, are not currently available. Outside of football, he maintains a presence on social media platforms such as X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram, where he engages with fans and shares updates about his career.
2025 Season Performance
Preston Smith’s 2025 season began with a return to the Washington Commanders, the organization that originally drafted him in 2015. After being released by the Pittsburgh Steelers in February 2025, he signed with Washington on September 17, 2025, joining the team mid-season. His veteran experience and pass-rushing skill set immediately gave the Commanders a boost along their defensive front.
Reuniting with the franchise that drafted him in the second round a decade earlier, Smith brought leadership and a proven track record of 71 career sacks to a young Washington defensive unit. His familiarity with the organization and its culture helped him integrate quickly into the Commanders’ defensive schemes. As a steady edge presence, he was expected to mentor younger pass rushers while contributing meaningful snaps.
Looking ahead, Smith’s role with the Commanders in 2025 was positioned as both a short-term impact player and a long-term veteran presence. His career arc, from a fourth-round projection in 2015 to a 71-sack veteran, made him a valuable addition for a Washington team looking to build defensive consistency. With the season in progress, his production in the second half of the year was expected to play a key role in shaping the team’s outlook.