2020 Football Roster
Roster
Smith, Naeem
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Jersey Number 3
Naeem Smith
- Height:
- 5-11
- Weight:
- 197
- Class:
- Senior
- Hometown:
- Iowa City, Iowa
- High School:
- Iowa City
Bio
Honors at Rice
2021
Did not see action in the first three games but returned to play a key role in the win over #15 Marshall... Credited with three tackles and broke the game open with a 36-yard interception return touchdown, the first for the Owls since 2017... Returned to the starting lineup for the finale vs. UAB.
2019
JuCo transfer who took over as the starter at safety in the second game of the year and made 11 starts… Tied for fifth on the team with 50 tackles and tied for the team lead with two interceptions… Made his FBS debut in the opener at Army and made his starting debut the following week vs. Wake Forest… Picked off his first career pass at UTSA and followed with another interception the following game vs. Southern Miss… Top tackle game was nine vs. Marshall… Recorded his first career sack at UAB for a loss of seven yards... One of three members of Mike Bloomgren's second recruiting class who joined the Owls in January and participated in spring drills.
2017-18 (Ellsworth JC)
Honorable Mention NJCAA All-America, All- Iowa Community College Athletic Conference , and ICCAC All-Regional selection as a sophomore for coach Tony Hayes at Ellsworth JC in Iowa Falls, Iowa… Based on all available records, Smith is Rice's first football scholarship signee from the state of Iowa… Credited with 61 tackles as a sophomore, including six for loss (1.5 sacks) with four pass breakups, a pair of blocked kicks, and a forced fumble… Credited with 74 tackles in his first year at Ellsworth, picking off three passes and breaking up three others
Iowa City High School
Came to Ellsworth from Iowa City High School where he helped the Little Hawks reach the state quarterfinals as a senior under coach Dan Sabers…Also lettered in basketball... National Honor Society.
- C-USA Commissioner's Academic Medal (2020)
- C-USA Commissioner's Honor Roll (2020, 2021, 2022)
- Rice Honor Athlete 2020
- Rice Scholar-Athlete 2021
- All-Conference USA
- 2021 Coaches (honorable mention) Phil Steele (fourth team) ProFootball Network (second team)
- Co-Captain (2021)
- Jess Neely Defensive Award (back) 2021
2021
Led the team and was second in C-USA with four interceptions, the most since Prudy Calderon had four in 2018... Tied for second on the team with a career-best 723 snaps... Tied for the team lead with nine passes defended (5 PBU, 4 interceptions, and second with 65 tackles and 32 solo stops... Credited with 13 stops in the last two games.
2020Did not see action in the first three games but returned to play a key role in the win over #15 Marshall... Credited with three tackles and broke the game open with a 36-yard interception return touchdown, the first for the Owls since 2017... Returned to the starting lineup for the finale vs. UAB.
2019
JuCo transfer who took over as the starter at safety in the second game of the year and made 11 starts… Tied for fifth on the team with 50 tackles and tied for the team lead with two interceptions… Made his FBS debut in the opener at Army and made his starting debut the following week vs. Wake Forest… Picked off his first career pass at UTSA and followed with another interception the following game vs. Southern Miss… Top tackle game was nine vs. Marshall… Recorded his first career sack at UAB for a loss of seven yards... One of three members of Mike Bloomgren's second recruiting class who joined the Owls in January and participated in spring drills.
2017-18 (Ellsworth JC)
Honorable Mention NJCAA All-America, All- Iowa Community College Athletic Conference , and ICCAC All-Regional selection as a sophomore for coach Tony Hayes at Ellsworth JC in Iowa Falls, Iowa… Based on all available records, Smith is Rice's first football scholarship signee from the state of Iowa… Credited with 61 tackles as a sophomore, including six for loss (1.5 sacks) with four pass breakups, a pair of blocked kicks, and a forced fumble… Credited with 74 tackles in his first year at Ellsworth, picking off three passes and breaking up three others
Iowa City High School
Came to Ellsworth from Iowa City High School where he helped the Little Hawks reach the state quarterfinals as a senior under coach Dan Sabers…Also lettered in basketball... National Honor Society.
Personal
Full Name: Naeem Smith... Born: December 18 at Cedar Rapids, IA... Parents: Yusef Smith and Cindy Seege... Rice major: Sport Management... Rice College: Will Rice.
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