Andre Smith
First-round selection from 2009 draft was starting RT in 2011, seeing action in 14 games and in Wild Card playoff ... Moved into No. 1 RT role in late October 2010, but was sidelined in November by a foot fracture ... Consensus 2008 All-America selection at Alabama, rated among the most powerful run blockers in Southeastern Conference history. 2011 GENERAL: Started at RT in Games 1-12 and 15-16, and in Wild Card playoff ... Left Game 12, Dec. 4 at Pittsburgh, due to ankle injury, and was inactive for Games 13-14, but returned to the starting lineup for Games 15-16 ... Contributed to pass protection that ranked tied for fourth in NFL in fewest sacks allowed (25). 2011 HIGHLIGHTS: On Sept. 11 at Cleveland, aided blocking effort that helped produce Cedric Benson’s 121-yard rushing performance … Also at Cleveland, averted a major offensive giveaway by recovering an Andy Dalton fumble at Bengals eight-yard line ... Helped team rush 32-for-171 (5.3 avg.) Oct. 2 vs. Buffalo, including 104 yards for Benson ... On Oct. 16 vs. Indianapolis, supported pass-protection effort that held Colts for the first time this season without a sack, playing primarily against standout DE Robert Mathis … On Nov. 20 at Baltimore, helped lead blocking effort for 483 yards of net offense … On Nov. 27 vs. Cleveland, helped lead protection effort for 389 yards of total offense, including 106 rushing yards by Benson ... Aided 165-yard rushing total Dec. 24 vs. Arizona. ... Started all four preseason games. PREVIOUS SEASONS: 2010 - Played in seven games (Games 1-2 and 4-8) … Seized No. 1 RT position for Games 6-8 … Suffered foot fracture (fifth metatarsal) in practice Nov. 10, and placed on Reserve/Injured list Nov. 13 … Inactive (coach's decision) for Game 3 ... Helped offense rank fifth in the NFL in fewest sacks allowed per passing play (one every 22.07 plays) … Aided offensive outputs of 469 yards Oct. 24 at Atlanta (the most by the team since Game 2 of 2007), and 413 yards Oct. 3 at Cleveland … Supported 149 rushing yards, including 144 by RB Cedric Benson, on Oct. 10 vs. Tampa Bay. 2009 - Supported three individual 100-yard rushing efforts over season’s final six games, and aided a Bengals playoff record of 169 rushing yards by RB Cedric Benson in Wild Card playoff 1-9-10 vs. N.Y. Jets … On Dec. 6 vs. Detroit, blocked for 110-yard rushing effort by Benson and helped team post third straight game of 38-plus minutes possession time (38:48) … On Dec. 20 at San Diego, aided blocking effort that led 407-yard net offensive output, the team’s second highest of season … On Dec. 27 vs. Kansas City, supported Benson’s 133-yard game for his Bengals-record sixth 100-yard game of season. COLLEGE: Played three seasons (2006-08) at Alabama, entering NFL Draft after his junior year … Started 38 games at LT over three seasons, and was credited with 46 TD-producing blocks … Was only the seventh true freshman in Crimson Tide history to start his first game in the program … As a junior in 2007, he shared SEC’s Jacobs Blocking Trophy with Arkansas C Jonathan Luigs, who also is a Bengal. SMITH MAKES IT FIVE: As a junior at Alabama, Smith won the 2008 Outland Trophy, the “Heisman” for linemen. The award currently goes to the player voted as the nation’s top offensive lineman or interior defensive lineman. In earlier years, defensive ends were also eligible. Smith is the fifth Bengal to have won the Outland, joining DT Mike Reid (1969 winner, Penn State), DE Ross Browner (1976, Notre Dame), C Dave Rimington (1981 and ’82, Nebraska) and DE Jason Buck (1986, Brigham Young). All five of the Bengals Outland winners were first-round draft choices by Cincinnati. PERSONAL: Hometown is Birmingham, Ala. … Attended Huffman High School, where he was the consensus top-rated offensive lineman in the nation as a senior … Also as a prep senior, became the first OL to win the state of Alabama’s “Mr. Football” award … General studies major at University of Alabama.
