Former University of Illinois defensive end Dawuane Smoot was selected in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft on Friday night in Philadelphia. Smoot was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars with the 68th overall pick.
Smoot, a 6-3, 264-pound defensive end and team captain for the Illini, posted 56 tackles, 15.0 TFLs, 5.0 sacks, 10 QB hurries and two forced fumbles in 2016 to earn third-team All-Big Ten honors. In 2016, he racked up 15.0 TFLs and 8.0 sacks. The Groveport, Ohio, native finished his UI career ranked sixth in program history in career TFLs (38.5) and eighth in career sacks (16.5), while collecting 137 tackles, five passes defended and five forced fumbles. He played in the 2017 Senior Bowl and participated in the 2017 NFL Combine.
Six former Illinois football players, in addition to third-round draft pick Dawuane Smoot, will have a shot to make their NFL dreams a reality in 2017. Five former Fighting Illini signed undrafted free agent (UDFA) contracts following the completion of the 2017 NFL Draft on Saturday – WR Justin Hardee (Houston Texans), QB Wes Lunt (Minnesota Vikings), LB Hardy Nickerson (Cincinnati Bengals), DE/OLB Carroll Phillips (Jacksonville Jaguars) and DE/OLB Gimel President (Texans), while DT Rob Bain (Jets) received a tryout invite to the Jets' rookie-mini camp. Rookie mini-camps begin early May.
