Honors
- All-MVFC: 2024 (2nd team)
2024
Second-team All-MVFC defensive lineman ... Ranked 3rd in MVFC and 44th nationally in sacks per game (0.58) ... Started all 12 games at defensive end and finished season with 51 total tackles, 23 solos, 8.0 tackles for loss, 7.0 sacks and 3 QB hurries ... Was team leader in sacks, co-leader in TFLs and tied for 3rd in total stops ... Named MSU Defensive Grinder of the game for wins at No. 16 Illinois State (10/12/24) with 5 total tackles, a sack and a forced fumble ... Also earned the Defensive Grinder honor vs. Southern Illinois (11/2/24) with season-high 10 tackles, 5 solos, 3 TFLs (15 yards), 2 sacks (14 yards) and a forced fumble ... Also named to Phil Steele MVFC second-team all-conference list.
2023
Started all 11 games at defensive end in his debut season with the Bears ... Racked up 37 total tackles, 12 solos, 6.5 tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks and 4 QB hurries ... Finished 7th on the squad in total tackles, 3rd in TFLs and tied for 2nd in sacks ... Posted season-high 7 total tackles at No. 10 Southern Illinois (9/30/23) with a pair of solos, 4.0 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks in breakout performance ... Brought down 5 ball carriers with 2 solos, a sack and 2 QB hurries at UT Martin (9/9/23) ... Recorded 5 stops in homecoming win over Murray State (10/21/23) with a TFL, half sack and QB hurry ... Also posted 3 tackles in home win over No. 15 Northern Iowa (11/11/23) with a QB hurry.
Charlotte
Spent three seasons (2020-22) at Charlotte, most recently with coach Pete Rossomando ...
2022: Played in all 12 games for the 49ers, all in reserve, and racked up 14 tackles on the season with 7 solos ... Racked up 3 stops with 2 solos in season opener at FAU (8/27/22) ... Also had 2 solo tackles and 3 total stops vs. FIU (10/22/22) and notched 3 tackles at Rice (10/29/22) with one solo ...
2021: Key contributor on special teams ... Played in each of the first eight games ... Had one tackle with a solo stop at CUSA foe Western Kentucky (10/30/21) ...
2020: Did not see game action in his first year to earn a redshirt season.
High School
Was a first-team all-state selection and runner-up for the Class 3 Defensive Player of the Year as a senior in 2019 at Trinity Catholic High in St. Louis ... Finished senior season with 18 sacks among his 60 tackles and led Trinity Catholic to a 9-4 record and district title ... Titans won four-straight in the Class 3 playoffs to reach the state semifinals ... Was also a two-time all-district and three-time all-conference selection ... As a junior, he racked up 68 total tackles and 6 sacks for a 13-1 state championship team ... Titans were 24-5 during his two varsity seasons.
Personal
Darion Edmond Smith was born 1/9/02 in St. Louis, Mo. ... Son of LaTrece and Terrance Smith of Overland Park, Kan. ... ... Has an older brother Domonic ... Majoring in General Studies.
