The Washington Redskins selected James Smith-Williams in the seventh round (No. 229 overall) of the 2020 NFL Draft.
Smith-Williams (6-foot-4, 265 pounds) played in 29 games at N.C. State and recorded eight sacks in his career. A five-year player for the Wolfpack, Smith-Williams accounted for 82 tackles, 12 tackles for loss and three pass deflections.
Smith-Williams' best season came in 2018 -- his first opportunity as a full-time starter -- when he had 36 tackles, nine of which were for a loss, and six sacks. Although he spent the beginning of his college career as a reserve player, he still manage to contribute with moment like a blocked punt that was recovered for a touchdown against Notre Dame and a career-tying six tackles against Furman.
Some of Smith-Williams best moments came off the field, though. He finished high school with an unweighted 3.9 GPA with a 4.9 weighted GPA, and he was an intern with IBM specializing in robotic animation.
Smith-Williams said in a conference call with local media that he is ready to compete. He feels that working as an edge rusher is one of his strongest attributes, and he is excited to join the talented defensive line in Washington.
"Pictures of Smith-Williams before/after physical transformation under the guidance of the N.C. State strength and conditioning programs are astounding," NFL.com's Lance Zierlein wrote in Smith-Williams' draft profile. "He plays with good upper-body strength and is able to stand his ground against power."
