Will Smith was drafted No. 18 overall by the New Orleans Saints in the 2004 NFL Draft out of Ohio State. 139 regular-season games · 7 seasons as a starter · 52 career approximate value
2004 NFL Draft · Rd 1, Pick 18 · #18 overall
Will Smith Ohio State Draft
Will Smith was drafted No. 18 overall by the New Orleans Saints in the 2004 NFL Draft out of Ohio State. 139 regular-season games · 7 seasons as a starter · 52 career approximate value
1× Pro Bowl
- Overall pick
- #18
- Round
- 1
- Draft class
- 2004
- NFL games
- 139
- Years as starter
- 7
- Career AV
- 5230th at Ohio State
- Pro Bowls
- 1
The pick
How Will Smith came off the board in 2004.
- Position
- Defensive end DE
- College
-
Ohio State
Big Ten at the draft
- Measurables
- 6'3" · 267 lbs
- Pre-draft board
- No. 13 prospect96.0 grade
- Side of the ball
- Defense
NFL career
139 regular-season games · 7 seasons as a starter · 52 career approximate value
- Games played
- 139
- Seasons as a starter
- 7
- Career approximate value
- 5230th among Ohio State picks
- AV with the drafting club
- 52100% of career value
- Final season
- 20128 years after the draft
- Accolades
- 1× Pro Bowl
Around pick 18
Who came off the board on either side of Will Smith.
Arkansas · 1× All-Pro · 2× Pro Bowl
Miami
USC
Ohio State in the 2004 draft
Teammates who went in the same class.
Chris Gamble
DB · CAR
Ohio State
#29
Michael Jenkins
WR · ATL
Ohio State
#68
Ben Hartsock
TE · IND
Ohio State
#74
Tim Anderson
DT · BUF
Ohio State
#87
B.J. Sander
P · GB
Ohio State
#88
Darrion Scott
DE · MIN
Ohio State
#100
Alex Stepanovich
C · ARI
Ohio State
#111
Will Allen
DB · TB
Ohio State
#148
Craig Krenzel
QB · CHI
Ohio State
#163
Drew Carter
WR · CAR
Ohio State
#165
Robert Reynolds
LB · TEN
Ohio State
#209
Shane Olivea
T · LAC
Ohio State
Other DE picks from Ohio State
The program's most accomplished players at the same spot.
Cameron Heyward
DE · PIT · 2011
Ohio State · 4× All-Pro · 7× Pro Bowl
#3
Joey Bosa
DE · LAC · 2016
Ohio State · 5× Pro Bowl
#2
Nick Bosa
DE · SF · 2019
Ohio State · 1× All-Pro · 5× Pro Bowl
#2
Chase Young
DE · WAS · 2020
Ohio State · 1× Pro Bowl
#77
Sam Hubbard
DE · CIN · 2018
Ohio State
#131
Keith Ferguson
DE · LAC · 1981
Ohio State
Other players named Will Smith
Different people who share this name in the draft archive.
Texas Tech
About this draft profile
Last updated Aug 24, 2026
Will Smith in the 2004 NFL Draft
Will Smith is a Defensive end out of Ohio State selected No. 18 overall by the New Orleans Saints in the 2004 NFL Draft. 139 regular-season games · 7 seasons as a starter · 52 career approximate value Ohio State has produced 284 NFL draft picks since 1980.
Where this data comes from
Pick order and career outcomes come from the nflverse draft archive; position, measurables, and conference at the time of the draft come from the college feed. Career columns stay empty until a player logs regular-season snaps.
Frequently asked questions
Where was Will Smith drafted?
Will Smith was selected No. 18 overall by the New Orleans Saints in the 2004 NFL Draft (Rd 1, Pick 18). Full pick detail at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/2004/will-smith.
What college did Will Smith play for?
Will Smith played college football at Ohio State in the Big Ten. See every Ohio State draft pick at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/schools/ohio-state-buckeyes.
How did Will Smith's NFL career turn out?
139 regular-season games · 7 seasons as a starter · 52 career approximate value Accolades: 1× Pro Bowl. Career outcome data at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/2004/will-smith.