 In addition to playing in the Lions' defensive backfield, he handled punting duties from 1950 to 1953.His 2,729 punting yards in 1952 ranked sixth in the NFL, and his average that year of 44.7 yards per punt was second best in the league.After the 1952 season, Smith was selected as a first-team All Pro player by the United Press and a second-team All Pro by the Associated Press.