Alphonso Smith, a standout Wake Forest cornerback who went on to spend four seasons in the NFL, died by suicide on Wednesday at the age of 40, TMZ reported. The former Bronco and León wrote a worrying social media post hours before his death, in which he called himself a “coward” and made reference to the abuse he suffered as a child. Alphonso Smith of the Detroit Lions scores a touchdown after an interception in the second quarter against Toby Gerhart of the Minnesota Vikings at Ford Field on December 11, 2011. Getty Images Smith, a native of Pahokee, Florida, was a standout at his local high school before embarking on an accolade-filled career at Wake Forest that saw him earn two First Team All-ACC nods and a Second Team All-American selection before it all came to a head. into a consensus All-American. season in 2008. In 2007 and 2008, he led Division I college football with eight and seven interceptions, respectively. In 2007, he also had three interceptions for touchdowns, also leading DI. His 21 career interceptions still rank as the most in program history. Smith, after his illustrious career with Wake Forest, was selected in the second round (37th overall) of the 2009 draft by the Broncos, and spent one season in Denver. At the start of the 2010 season, Smith was traded to the Lions and recorded a career-high five interceptions. He added three more the following season, but played only four games in 2012 before being suspended in November. He was not drafted by another NFL team. Alphonso Smith of the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. Getty Images If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) or text the Crisis Text Line at 741741. If you are having suicidal thoughts, you can dial the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 988 or visit SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.
