Former EMCC All-American Za'Darius Smith selected in fourth round of the 2015 NFL Draft

SCOOBA – Former NJCAA All-American Za'Darius Smith has become the latest East Mississippi Community College gridiron standout to reach the National Football League, as the University of Kentucky product was drafted in the fourth round by the Baltimore Ravens in the recent NFL Draft.

Smith, who starred for head coach Buddy Stephens' EMCC Lions during the 2011 and 2012 seasons before becoming a two-year starter at defensive end for the Kentucky Wildcats, was the 122^nd overall selection in the NFL Draft over the weekend.  The 6-foot-4, 275-pound Smith is projected by the Ravens as an outside linebacker to replace former Mississippi State standout Pernell McPhee, who signed with the Chicago Bears during free agency this offseason.  

A native of Greenville, Ala., Smith becomes the second East Mississippi Community College player to be selected in the NFL Draft under Stephens' guidance.  Two years ago in the 2013 NFL Draft, San Francisco 49ers defensive tackle Quinton Dial was a fifth-round selection as the league's 157^th pick overall.  After starring for the EMCC Lions in 2009 and 2010, Dial moved on to become a member of two BCS National Championship teams with the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Following his days as a two-year starter at defensive end for East Mississippi, Smith was rated by ESPN.com as the nation's No. 10 junior college prospect.  He capped his successful stint on the Scooba campus by being named to the 2012 NJCAA All-American Second Team after recording 66 career tackles with 11 sacks in helping lead the EMCC Lions to a two-year collective mark of 20-2, including a school-first NJCAA National Championship in 2011.     

Having started every game at defensive end in his two seasons at Kentucky, Smith capped his collegiate career by participating in the East-West Shrine Game and the Senior Bowl.  He was named Most Valuable Defensive Player of the East-West Game.  During his two years at UK, Smith was credited with 120 total tackles, including 10.5 sacks, 10 quarterback hurries, three pass breakups and two fumble recoveries.

This past season as a 12-game senior starter at Kentucky, Smith was the Wildcats' third-leading tackler with 61 stops, including 4.5 sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss, while adding four quarterback hurries, two pass breakups and a fumble recovery.  As a junior at UK, he tied for third on the team with 59 tackles, including six sacks, along with being credited with six quarterback hurries, a pass breakup and a fumble recovery.