Former Indiana LB who was a Big Ten terror in 2000
In the 2000 season, Justin Smith was a bona fide defensive wrecking ball for Indiana, leading the Big Ten in tackles for loss and sacks while earning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors after a 13-tackle, 4-sack explosion against Iowa. He was already on the Butkus Award watch list, and Indiana noted he played the 1999 season with a broken wrist, which underscores his toughness and intensity. The big differentiator here: production plus grit—Smith wasn’t just making plays, he was doing it as a converted defensive back who kept climbing into a high-impact linebacker role.
