Hayden Smith
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Receiving Stats (WR / TE)
| Year | Team | Games | Rec | Targets | Rec Yds | TDs | YAC | 1st Downs | Fumbles | Fantasy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | NYJ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 16 | 0 | 21 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
Career Summary
Hayden Smith is an Australian former rugby player and NFL tight end.
Smith played college basketball and professional rugby before signing with the New York Jets in 2012 as a tight end. He appeared in five NFL games that season.
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Early Life
Smith is a native of Penrith, Australia.
The Jets identified Smith as a native of Penrith, Australia.
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College Career
Smith played college basketball at Metro State in Denver.
After transferring from the New York Institute of Technology, Smith played three basketball seasons at Metropolitan State College of Denver. He helped the Roadrunners reach two NCAA Division II tournaments and graduated in 2008 with a finance degree.
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Path to the NFL
The Jets signed Smith after his professional rugby career.
Smith played professional rugby for Saracens in England and represented the United States at the Rugby World Cup in 2011. The Jets signed him in 2012 to begin his first experience playing football.
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NFL Career
Smith played five games for the Jets in 2012.
Smith appeared in five games for New York in 2012. He caught one pass for 16 yards.
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Career Accomplishments
Smith represented the United States at the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
Before his NFL career, Smith competed for the United States during the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
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Playing Style
Smith's size, basketball background, and rugby experience informed his transition to tight end.
At 6-foot-6 and 255 pounds, Smith joined the Jets as a tight end. He cited his basketball background and the physicality of rugby as skills that could transfer to football.
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Legacy
Smith made a rare transition from professional rugby to the NFL.
NFL.com described Smith as an athletic big man whose transition from champion rugby player to tight end was an uncommon NFL experiment.
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Sources for this section
23475, 00-0028842, 1985-04-10, Hayden Smith, Hayden, Smith
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