While at Mississippi State, Smoot earned first-team All SEC honors twice in 1999 and 2000 and was a consensus All-American player in 2000. The Washington Redskins drafted Smoot with the 45th overall pick during the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft. Smoot played in Washington until 2004 before he signed a free agent deal with the Minnesota Vikings. Smoot later returned to the Redskins from 2007 until 2009; the cornerback was released following the 2009 season after playing just two years on a five-year, $25 million contract. Smoot tallied 450 tackles, 21 interceptions, and five forced fumbles through 129 career games. He started 104 of them.
Smoot has made several off-the-field headlines. He was involved in the Vikings' 2005 boat cruise scandal where several players allegedly hired prostitutes for a sex party on a boat on Lake Minnetonka. He was charged and pled guilty to disorderly conduct and being a public nuisance on a watercraft during the spring of 2006; Smoot was fined and ordered to take part in community service. Later that year, Smoot was involved in a one-car crash in Mississippi and broke his jaw; the accident ended his 2006 NFL season. Smoot was been involved in several business opportunities, including the SMACK Energy bar and a Waffle House franchise. He is an advocate of physical education in schools.
