BIRDSEED:

• Growing up in the small town of Highland Park, NJ (2 square miles, population 14,500), Smith graduated from the local high school as part of a 115-person class. He thought about a career in basketball, but turned down interest from Division I hoop schools to settle on a football tenure at Rutgers. Although Rutgers won just seven games during his 4-year career with the Scarlet Knights, Smith persevered and earned attention from NFL scouts
• Partook in Russian Kettlebell training once a week during the 2008 offseason under the direction of Carlos Bradley, a former Chargers and Eagles linebacker. "I could only do it one day per week. It's tough. I wouldn't recommend doing it twice or more in a week. You just can't do it. Sometimes I just wanted to quit during the workout. It's a total body workout." 
• Served as a sideline reporter for the television broadcast of the 2008 NY-NJ All-Star Classic, a football game between the best high school players in those states
• Aspires to one day produce his own music and would like to learn more about the audio and technical parts of the business. "The world would be a boring place without music. Music can inspire people in many different ways."
•  Favorite artists include Biggie, 50 Cent/G Unit, Brian McKnight, and T.I.
• Started playing the guitar during the 2006 offseason. After mentioning to a friend that he wanted to learn to play, his friend gave him his first acoustic guitar

PERSONAL:

• Single and lives in Cherry Hill, NJ, in the offseason
• Considers himself a very family oriented person. Has very strong relationships with his mother, Kathy, his younger brother, Nate, and sister, Alisha
• Credits his mother for being the player and person he is today. "She was always there to help with any problem. She was tough, but very understanding as well. I will always remember when she drove me to AAU camps that were hours away."
• Remains close with his father, John "Bud" Smith
• Is the proud owner of a miniature English bulldog named "Jiggz"
• Attended Highland Park (NJ) HS where he caught 10 TDs and had 143 tackles, 11 sacks and 5 INTs at LB as a senior
• Never played football until he was a 140-pound freshman defensive end in high school, registering 8 sacks. "We played a 5-2-4 defensive scheme and they just let me go after the quarterback." After playing linebacker as a sophomore, he was converted to tight end during his junior season. He initially wanted to focus only on basketball during his junior year until his football team begged him to return
• Was a tremendous basketball prospect who drew interest from a number of Division I programs, including Florida State and various schools from the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
• Set up the L.J. Smith Scholarship Fund, which provides an annual scholarship for underprivileged children who aspire to go to college
• His first reception in college was a touchdown, a 16-yard leaping grab from former Eagles QB Mike McMahon at California in 1999
• Is a good friend of former Rutgers teammate Gary Brackett, a linebacker with Indianapolis
• His favorite football player growing up was Jerry Rice
• Enjoys watching ""The First 48"" and "Family Guy"
• Earned a degree in labor studies
• Full name: John Smith III; L.J. stands for "Little John"

COLLEGE HIGHLIGHTS:
A four-year starter, finished second in Rutgers history among tight ends with 122 receptions for 1,458 yards and 10 TDs, surpassed only by Marco Battaglia (171-2,221-16TDs). Earned All-Big East honors as both a junior and senior. Served as team captain as a senior, leading the Scarlet Knights with a career-high 32 receptions for 384 yards and 3 TDs. Posted a team-leading 30 catches for 282 yards and 3 TDs as a junior and also carried the ball 16 times for 74 yards. Was 34-374-1TD receiving as a sophomore after contributing 26-418-3TDs receiving totals as a redshirt freshman.

INJURY HISTORY:
Was inactive for the final three games of 2007 with a knee injury suffered vs. NYG (12/9/07). Was inactive vs. Chi. (10/21/07) after reaggravating a groin injury. Was inactive at NYG (9/30/07) and vs. Det. (9/23/07) while recovering from follow-up surgery on 9/21/07, to repair scar tissue in his groin. Underwent surgery to repair a sports hernia by Dr. William Meyers on 5/30/07. Had low back disc surgery by Dr. Frank Cammisa on 2/16/05. Suffered groin and leg injuries at Mia. (12/15/03) and was inactive the following week vs. SF (12/21/03).