ECU OT D’Ante Smith selected by Bengals in 4th round (Pick No. 139)

GREENVILLE, N.C. (ECU) – Former East Carolina University offensive tackle D’Ante Smith, an All-American Athletic Conference selection who played an integral role helping the Pirates amass 400-plus yards on 18 occasions in 30 career starts, was chosen by the Cincinnati Bengals with the 34th pick in the fourth round (139th overall) of the 2021 National Football League Draft Saturday. 

Smith is the eighth ECU offensive lineman in history to be drafted and follows tackle Guy Whimper, who was taken by the New York Giants in the fourth round of the 2006 draft and later was part of the organization’s Super Bowl XLII title in 2008. 

A four-year letterman and three-year starter primarily at the left tackle position, Smith was an anchor for a unit that turned in three of the program’s Top 10 all-time passing campaigns in 2017 (3,815 yards), 2019 (3,466) and 2018 (3,417) while playing in 33 career contests. 

Before suffering a season-ending injury in the first game of the 2020 season, Smith opened all 12 contests in 2019 and was part of a Pirates’ offense that posted 500-plus total yards four times – 574 (Gardner-Webb), 638 (Cincinnati), 644 (SMU) and 509 (Connecticut). In addition, ECU ranked 22nd nationally in both passing yards (288.8) and fewest sacks allowed (1.4) per game and he provided protection that resulted in four single-game individual school records, which included passing yards (535 by Holton Ahlers), reception yards (283 by C.J. Johnson) and total yards (556 by Ahlers) against Cincinnati and TD passes (6 by Ahlers) at SMU. 

He started 12 contests in 2018 as the Pirates eclipsed 400 yards of total offense on eight occasions and 500-plus yards three times – 510 vs. North Carolina, 556 vs. Memphis and 657 vs. Connecticut - and stood 20th at the FBS level in passing yards per game with a 284.8 clip. Smith opened five of seven games in 2017, a year in which ECU ranked 12th nationally in passing (317.9 ypg) and 42nd in total offense (425.6 ypg). 

Smith, an Augusta (Ga.) native and Grovetown High School product who will turn 23 on June 9, is the 66th overall ECU player drafted and the first since wide receiver Zay Jones was taken by the Bills in the second round of the 2017 draft.

Including Smith, other Pirates selected by the Bengals include DB Ellis Dillahunt (1988) and OT Tom Scott (1993). 

ALL-TIME EAST CAROLINA FOOTBALL DRAFT HISTORY

(year, round, pick, overall pick, name, team, pos)

2021, 4, 34, 139, D’Ante Smith, Bengals, OT

2017, 2, 5, 37, Zay Jones, Bills, WR

2015, 4, 8, 107, Justin Hardy, Falcons, WR

2011, 6, 11, 176, Dwayne Harris, Cowboys, WR

2010, 2, 14, 46, Linval Joseph, Giants, DT

2010, 7, 14, 221, Matt Dodge, Giants, P

2010, 7, 23, 230, C.J. Wilson, Packers, DE

2009, 5, 13, 149, Davon Drew, Ravens, TE

2008, 1, 24, 24, Chris Johnson, Titans, RB

2007, 5, 9, 146, Aundrae Allison, Vikings, WR

2006, 4, 32, 129, Guy Whimper, Giants, OT

2004, 7, 45, 246, Brian Rimpf, Ravens, OT

2002, 4, 10, 108, David Garrard, Jaguars, QB

2002, 7, 30, 241, Leonard Henry, Dolphins, RB

1999, 5, 20, 153, Roderick Coleman, Raiders, DE

1999, 6, 32, 201, Troy Smith, Eagles, WR

1998, 3, 21, 82, Larry Shannon, Dolphins, WR

1997, 5, 1, 131, Lamont Burns, Jets, OG

1996, 4, 16, 111, Emmanuel McDaniel, Panthers, DB

1996, 5, 2, 134, Jerris McPhail, Dolphins, RB

1994, 6, 4, 165, Bernard Carter, Buccaneers, LB

1994, 7, 8, 202, Carlester Crumpler, Jr., Seahawks, TE

1993, 6, 8, 148, Tom Scott, Bengals, OT

1992, 1, 24, 24, Robert Jones, Cowboys, LB

1992, 6, 26, 166, Jeff Blake, Jets, QB

1992, 8, 14, 210, Luke Fisher, Vikings, TE

1992, 9, 26, 250, Chris Hall, Cowboys, DB

1992, 10, 22, 274, Dion Johnson, Oilers, WR

1991, 9, 3, 226, Ernie Logan, Falcons, DE

1990, 3, 14, 67, Walter Wilson, Chargers, WR

1990, 5, 1, 110, Junior Robinson, Patriots, DB

1990, 7, 14, 179, James Singletary, Colts, LB

1990, 10, 27, 275, Anthony Thompson, Broncos, LB

1988, 8, 5, 198, Anthony Simpson, Buccaneers, RB

1988, 10, 4, 253, Ellis Dillahunt, Bengals, DB

1986, 6, 27, 165, Kevin Walker, Buccaneers, DB

1986, 10, 3, 252, Tony Baker, Falcons, RB

1985, 3, 24, 80, Stefon Adams, Raiders, DB

1985, 8, 4, 200, Ricky Nichols, Colts, WR

1984, 2, 27, 55, Steve Hamilton, Redskins, DE

1984, 4, 27, 111, Terry Long, Steelers, OG

1984, 5, 3, 115, Clint Harris, Giants, DB

1984, 5, 13, 125, Jeff Pegues, Redskins, LB

1984, 5, 21, 133, Hal Stephens, Rams, DE

1984, 10, 1, 253, Norwood Vann, Rams, TE

1984, 10, 28, 280, Earnest Byner, Browns, RB

1984, 11, 4, 284, John Robertson, Eagles, OT

1983, 2, 18, 46, Jody Schulz, Eagles, LB

1982, 4, 2, 85, George Crump, Patriots, DE

1982, 4, 7, 90, Tootie Robbins, Cardinals, OT

1981, 2, 19, 47, Tony Collins, Patriots, RB

1980, 11, 11, 288, Sam Harrell, Vikings, RB

1980, 12, 9, 314, Mike Brewington, Chiefs, LB

1979, 2, 28, 56, Zack Valentine, Steelers, LB

1979, 6, 21, 158, Eddie Hicks, Giants, RB

1978, 6, 28, 166, Harold Randolph, Cowboys, LB

1977, 6, 27, 166, Reggie Pinkney, Lions, DB

1974, 4, 2, 80, Carl Summerell, Giants, QB

1974, 4, 17, 95, Carlester Crumpler, Bills, RB

1973, 16, 1, 391, Tim Dameron, Oilers, WR

1973, 17, 22, 438, Leslie Strayhorn, Cowboys, RB

1969, 17, 1, 417, Wayne Lineberry, Bills, LB

1964, 14, 5, 187, Tom Michel, Vikings, RB

1961, 5, 8, 64, Glenn Bass, Cardinals, TE

1951, 28, 12, 339, Roger Thrift, Browns, QB

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