Billy Ray Smith was one heck of a football player – All-America at Arkansas and both a Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champion in the NFL.
The stat line is impressive — 23 NFL seasons, 97 career sacks, 16 fumble recoveries, 15 interceptions.
If that sounds a bit much for one player, it is. There were two Billy Ray Smiths, father and son, and both hold down spots on the all-time University of Arkansas NFL team. The above stat line is a combination of their careers.
Billy Ray Smith Sr., was a defensive tackle who played 13 NFL seasons and won a Super Bowl with the Baltimore Colts. He went to two Pro Bowls and collected 70 career sacks, 16 fumbles recoveries and an interception.
Billy Ray Smith Jr., was a two-time All-America linebacker at Arkansas who played 10 NFL seasons with the San Diego Chargers. He collected 27 sacks, 15 interceptions and 14 fumble recoveries. He is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame and also was selected to San Diego’s 50th anniversary team.
The Smiths are joined on the Razorbacks’ all-time NFL team by three Hall of Famers – Lance Alworth, Dan Hampton and Steve Atwater. But the strength of this team could be on the sideline.
Arkansas has produced a Hall of Fame NFL owner (Jerry Jones) and two Super Bowl-winning coaches, Jimmy Johnson and Barry Switzer. Jimmy Johnson is enshrined in both the Pro Football and the College Football Halls of Fame and Barry Switzer joins him in the College Football Hall of Fame. In addition, Arkansas produced Red Hickey, who introduced the shotgun formation to the NFL back in 1960.
Here is the all-time University of Arkansas NFL team:
QB—Joe Ferguson, 1977 NFL passing champion
HB—Darren McFadden, 10 seasons, 5,421 rushing yards, 33 touchdowns
FB—Peyton Hillis, 7 seasons, 2,832 rushing yards, 134 catches
WR—Lance Alworth, Hall of Fame
WR—Jim Benton, 1940s NFL all-decade team
*-TE—Hunter Henry, 6 seasons, 246 catches, 30 TDs
*-T—Jason Peters, 9 Pro Bowls, 19 seasons, 218 starts
T—Glen Ray Hines, 2 Pro Bowls, 8 seasons, 106 starts
G—R.C. Thielemann, 3 Pro Bowls, 12 seasons, 148 starts
G—Shawn Andrews, 2 Pro Bowls, 6 seasons, 57 starts
*-C—Frank Ragnow, Pro Bowl, 5 seasons, 49 starts
DE—Wayne Martin, Pro Bowl, 13 seasons, 83 sacks
DE—Raylee Johnson, 11 seasons, 47 sacks
DT—Dan Hampton, Hall of Fame
DT—Billy Ray Smith Sr., 2 Pro Bowls, 13 seasons, 70 sacks
LB—Billy Ray Smith Jr., 10 seasons, 15 interceptions, 27 sacks
LB—Dennis “Dirt” Winston, 10 seasons, 13 interceptions
*-LB—Dre Greenlaw, 3 seasons, 24 starts, 199 tackles
CB—Chris Houston, 7 seasons, 13 interceptions
CB—Kenny Wright, 9 seasons, 13 interceptions
S—Steve Atwater, Hall of Fame
S—Ken Hamlin, Pro Bowl, 8 seasons, 15 interceptions
K—Pat Summerall, 10 seasons, 563 points, 100 field goals
P—Steve Cox, 6 seasons, 42.0-yard average
KR—Gary Anderson, Pro Bowl, 7 seasons, 1,919 returns yards, TD
ST—Ravin Caldwell, 7 seasons, 2 Super Bowl rings
LS—Bret Goode, 11 seasons, Super Bowl ring
*-Still active
