Raiders Sign 2023 Fifth-Round Pick Christopher Smith II
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The Las Vegas Raiders have signed their fifth-round pick, former Georgia safety Christopher Smith II, the club confirmed on Thursday.
Smith was the 170th overall pick, which they received from the New York Jets in exchange for the 204th and 220th overall picks.
He was a star safety on Georgia's back-to-back national championship teams.
Last season, Smith posted 61 tackles, five for losses, five passes defensed, three interceptions, one sack, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery.
He would earn first-team All-SEC honors from the Associated Press, the Football Writers Association of America, the Sporting News, and Walter Camp.
This followed a 2021 season in which Smith finished with 35 tackles and three interceptions that included a pick six. He started in 11 of 12 contests.
Smith had a strong outing at this year's NFL Combine, recording a 4.62-second 40-yard dash time, a 33-inch vertical jump, and a 9-foot-8-inch broad jump.
He would earn a production score of 78 from NFL Next Gen Stats, the fourth-best score among the rest of the safety prospects.
Smith told the media after he was drafted that he had been on the Raiders' radar.
"I really didn't," he said. "We had a few a few talks in the pre-draft process, but I had no idea that the Raiders were going to take me. But I'm forever thankful that they took a chance on me, and I can't wait to get to work."
Here is a complete list of every 2023 Raiders draft pick and links to more information about them:
Round 1 No. 7 overall pick: Tyree Wilson, DE, Texas Tech
Round 2 No. 35 overall pick: Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame
Round 3 No. 70 overall: Byron Young, DT, Alabama
Round 3 No. 100 overall: Tre Tucker, WR, Cincinnati
Round 4 No. 104 overall: Jakorian Bennett, CB, Maryland
Round 4 No. 135 overall: Aidan O'Connell, QB, Purdue
Round 5 No. 170 overall: Christopher Smith II, S, Georgia
Round 6 No. 203 overall: Amari Burney, LB, Florida
Round 7 No. 231 overall: Nesta Jade Silvera, DT, Arizona State
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