Bio

SENIOR (2016):

• All-Big Ten third team (media and coaches)
• Pro Football Focus All-Big Ten second team
• Phil Steele All-Big Ten third team
• Team captain
• Started all 12 games at defensive tackle
• Finished his career with 24 straight starts
• 56 tackles, 15.0 TFLs, 5.0 sacks, 10 QB hurries, one PBU, two forced fumbles on the season
• Tied for sixth in Illinois history with 38.5 career TFLs
• Eighth in Illinois history with 16.5 career sacks
• 31st in the nation, sixth in the Big Ten in TFLs per game (1.7) during the regular season
• Third in the Big Ten in TFLs during conference game (13.0)
• Eighth in the Big Ten in sacks during conference games (5.0)
• Career-high 3.0 TFLs at Iowa and Rutgers
• Career-high 2.0 sacks at Northwestern
• Career-high eight tackles vs. Western Michigan, Minnesota and Nebraska
• Safety on a TFL in the end zone against North Carolina
• Bednarik Award watch list (defensive player of the year)
• Hendricks Award watch list (best defensive end)
• Lombardi Award watch list (player of the year)
• ESPN.com preseason All-Big Ten
• Phil Steele preseason All-Big Ten second team
• Athlon Sports preseason All-Big Ten second team
• Lindy's preseason All-Big Ten second team
• Pro Football Focus preseason All-America third team edge defender
• Ranked as the 20th best player in college football by Pro Football Focus during the preseason
• Ranked as the 49th best player in college football by 247Sports during the preseason
• Senior Bowl preseason watch list

JUNIOR (2015):

• All-Big Ten honorable mention by the coaches and media
• Started all 12 games on the defensive line
• 40 tackles, 15.0 TFLs, 8.0 sacks, two PBUs, three QB hurries, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries on season
• Led the team in TFLs (15.0) and sacks (8.0)
• Most TFLs in a single season by an Illini since All-American Whitney Mercilus had 22.5 in 2011
• Tied career high with six tackles vs. Northwestern
• Forced fumbles vs. Middle Tennessee, Ohio State and Northwestern
• Career-high 3.0 TFLs vs. Middle Tennessee and at Iowa
• Career-high and Illinois season-best 2.0 sacks vs. Middle Tennessee

SOPHOMORE (2014):

• Played in all 13 games, making 33 tackles, 7.5 TFLs, 2.5 sacks, three QB hurries and two PBUs on the season
• Tallied a career-high 2.0 sacks and totaled a career-high six tackles against Texas State
• Against WKU, combined with Jihad Ward on a fourth-quarter sack that forced a fumble and set up the UI touchdown that sealed the win

FRESHMAN (2013):

• Played in seven games
• Notched eight tackles and one sack on the season
• Had career-best four tackles and his first career sack against Northwestern
• Recorded two tackles against Michigan State
• Had a solo tackle against Cincinnati and also in his Illini debut in the season-opener against SIU

HIGH SCHOOL:

• Three-star recruit by Rivals, ESPN and 247Sports
• Ranked the No. 68 defensive end in the nation by 247Sports
• Ranked the No. 54 player in Ohio by Rivals
• As a senior, had 91 tackles, 14 sacks, five forced fumbles and one fumble recovery
• As a junior, had 113 tackles, 10 sacks and four PBUs
• As a sophomore, had 56 tackles and six sacks
• Ohio Capital Conference first-team selection as a senior after earning special mention as a junior
• Defensive MVP at Madison as a junior and senior
• All-Metro second-team selection as a senior
• Earned three letters in football and three in track
• In track, competed at nationals in the shot put, discus and 400 hurdles

PERSONAL:

• First name pronounced duh-WON
• Born March 2, 1995
• Goes by "D.J."
• Parents are Darrell Sr., and Jamecca Smoot
• Favorite athlete is NFL great Julius Peppers because of his style of play
• Was named to his high school academic honor roll as a senior
• Says his father most influenced his athletic career because "he pushed me to be the best."
• Majoring in sport management