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Tennessee football: Top 10 junior college Vols of all time

By Caleb Calhoun

6 Sep 1997: Defensive tackle Leonard Little of the Tennessee Volunteers stands on the field during a game against the UCLA Bruins at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. Tennessee won the game 30-24.
6 Sep 1997: Defensive tackle Leonard Little of the Tennessee Volunteers stands on the field during a game against the UCLA Bruins at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. Tennessee won the game 30-24. /
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Photo by Erik Perel /Allsport
Photo by Erik Perel /Allsport /

Defensive Lineman. player. Pick Analysis. 1990-1991. Chuck Smith. 7. 839. Scouting Report

Joining Chris Mims in 1990 was another defensive lineman recruited by Johnny Majors, Chuck Smith. As we already said, Tennessee football was heavily going that way that year because of the need for immediate help in hopes of repeating as SEC Champions. While Mims was more of the workhorse who could play in the middle or the outside, Smith was clearly an edge rusher.

Heading to Rocky Top from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M in Miami, Okla., Smith immediately became a star for the Vols just like Mims. He had 47 tackles, four and a half sacks, five and a half tackles for a loss, a forced fumble and three passes broken up as a junior. In 1991, he became even more dominant, recording 64 tackles, nine sacks, 13 tackles for a loss and a pass broken up.

Smith was a sacks machine, exactly what he was recruited to do. There may be some connection to Larry Lacewell just happening to be at UT the years Smith and Mims were there. The two were just a perfect match for his new scheme, and Smith fit into the role perfectly at 6’2″ 257 pounds. Majors and UT would not have repeated as SEC Champions without them.

After that run, Smith proved his value, just like Mims, in the NFL. He spent eight years with the Atlanta Falcons, earning All-Pro honors in 1997 and helping them reach the Super Bowl in 1998. In 2000, Smith played a ninth year with the Carolina Panthers, ironically with the late Reggie White on that team, before he hung up his cleats. He was a great junior college pickup by the Vols.

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