Derek M. Smith ranks in the all-time elite tier for linebackers — a career that places M. in the top 5% of all players at the position. The Knox value model assigns M. a career score of 71, reflecting sustained impact that most players at the position never approach.
Season totals or exact team stints. Career totals count each season once.
Career games unavailable for incomplete season coverage. Verified career totals remain shown; career per-game figures require complete coverage.
| Season | Age | Team | G | GS | Defense | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tkl | Solo | Ast | TFL | QBHits | Sk | Dis | Int | PD | FF | FR | TD | Sfty | |||||
| 1997 | 22–23 | WAS | 16 | — | 87 | 59 | — | — | — | 2.0 | 2.0 | 0 | — | 0 | 2 | — | — |
| 1998 | 23–24 | WAS | 16 | — | 103 | 78 | — | — | — | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0 | — | 1 | 1 | — | — |
| 1999 | 24–25 | WAS | 16 | — | 87 | 59 | 28 | 10 | 2 | 1.0 | 13.0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2000 | 25–26 | PIT / WAS | 16 | — | 74 | 58 | 16 | 6 | 0 | 0.0 | 6.0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2001 | 26–27 | SF | 14 | — | 85 | 55 | 30 | 4 | 4 | 3.0 | 11.0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2002 | 27–28 | SF | 16 | — | 87 | 58 | 29 | 8 | 1 | 1.0 | 10.0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2003 | 28–29 | SF | 16 | — | 91 | 64 | 27 | 0 | 0 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2004 | 29–30 | SF | 14 | — | 89 | 60 | 29 | 0 | 0 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 2005 | 30–31 | SF | 16 | — | 104 | 78 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2006 | 31–32 | SF | 13 | — | 61 | 42 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2007 | 32–33 | SF | 15 | — | 72 | 45 | 27 | 0 | 2 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2008 | 33–34 | SD | 4 | — | 11 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 |
| Career | — | — | — | 951 | 661 | 253 | 34 | 9 | 13.0 | 56.0 | 4 | 37 | 4 | 14 | 2 | 0 | |
Career Value · VORP
222 career value over replacement — #308 all-time of 4,695. 18.5/season above a replacement-level LB.
Pick #80 (Rd 3) · WAS · 1997 · +33.5 vs expected KV-H
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An all-time caliber linebacker (top 5% all-time) who combined elite production with excellent availability over their career. Iron Legends define eras — they show up, every game, for years on end.
Worth 222 points of value above a freely-available replacement linebacker — top 8% of all 4,695 ranked at the position. 11 of 12 seasons cleared the replacement bar, by +20.2 on average.See board →
Seasons above replacement
11 seasons × ~20.2 surplus ≈ VORP 222
Rob Morris
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89% match