2019 SEASON: Started all 16 games and posted a career-best 78 tackles (career-best 44 solo), a career-high and team-leading 13½ sacks, a team-best 51 QB hits and a team-high 65 QB pressures...Ranked No. 6 in the league in sacks, and his sack total ranks tied for No. 5 in single-season team history...Posted the most sacks in franchise history by a player in his first season with the Packers...Was named to his first career Pro Bowl when he was added to the roster as an injury replacement for Mack...Posted four games with two-plus sacks, tied with Jones and Barrett for the most in the league...Was the first Packer to have four games with two-plus sacks in a season since Kampman in 2006...Joined P. Smith as the only teammate duo in the league with 12-plus sacks each, the first duo in team history (since 1982) to both register 12-plus sacks in the same season…Started both playoff games and registered nine tackles (five solo), two sacks, a team-high six QB pressures and three QB hits…At Chicago (Sept. 5): Posted five tackles (four solo), a sack, a team-best four QB pressures and a team-high six QB hits. Late in the second quarter, drove back RT Bobby Massie to get to QB Mitchell Trubisky for a 1-yard sack…Vs. Minnesota (Sept. 15): Finished with seven tackles (three solo), a team-high six QB pressures and two QB hits…Vs. Denver (Sept. 22): Registered five tackles (two solo), seven QB pressures, two QB hits and two sacks. On a third-and-goal from the 2 late in the first half, beat LT Garett Bolles to bring down QB Joe Flacco for a 10-yard sack as the Broncos were forced to settle for a field goal. On the final play of the game, shed a block from LG Dalton Risner to bring down Flacco for a 12-yard sack…At Dallas (Oct. 6): Posted four tackles (three solo), two sacks, a team-high six QB hits and three QB pressures. In the first quarter, drove back LT Cameron Fleming on his way to a 10-yard sack of QB Dak Prescott on third down to force a Dallas punt. On a second-and-goal from the Green Bay 9 in the third quarter, tossed aside Fleming to get to Prescott as he tripped him up for a 9-yard sack…Vs. Detroit (Oct. 14): Tied for the team lead with seven tackles (three solo) while adding a sack, five QB pressures and three QB hits. Late in the first half on a third-and-13, beat LG Kenny Wiggins and then shed a block from RB Kerryon Johnson to get to QB Matthew Stafford for a 5-yard sack to force a punt…At Kansas City (Oct. 27): Recorded three tackles (two solo), two sacks, three QB hits and a QB pressure. On the first play of the second quarter, blew by LT Cam Erving to get to QB Matt Moore for a 6-yard sack. On the Chiefs' first drive of the second half, beat LG Martinas Rankin to bring down Moore for a 12-yard sack on third-and-7 and force a Kansas City punt…At L.A. Chargers (Nov. 3): Finished with a career-high 10 tackles (five solo), a sack, two QB hits and two QB pressures. On the Chargers' opening drive on second-and-goal from the 9, drove back RT Sam Tevi to get to QB Philip Rivers for a shared 2-yard sack with DL Tyler Lancaster…Vs. Carolina (Nov. 10): Posted season highs for QB hits (eight) and QB pressures (seven) along with two tackles (one solo)…At San Francisco (Nov. 24): Finished with seven tackles (five solo), 1½ sacks, two QB pressures and a QB hit. Early in the second quarter, drove back LT Justin Skule to get to QB Jimmy Garoppolo for a 10-yard sack. Shed a block from Skule early in the third quarter for a shared 9-yard sack of Garoppolo with P. Smith…Vs. Washington (Dec. 8): Registered five tackles (four solo), a tackle for a loss, a forced fumble, three QB pressures and two QB hits. In the second quarter, came up the middle to drill RB Adrian Peterson in the backfield and force a fumble, one that was recovered by Peterson at the Green Bay 32 for a loss of 3 yards...At Minnesota (Dec. 23): Posted a career-high 3½ sacks to become the first Packer to do so since LB Clay Matthews registered 3½ vs. Chicago on Sept. 13, 2012. Finished the game with eight tackles (six solo), five tackles for a loss, a team-high six QB pressures and two QB hits. It was the seventh game of his career with two-plus sacks. Midway through the second quarter, beat LT Riley Reiff to get to Cousins for a 13-yard sack. In the third quarter, came up the middle and blew by C Garrett Bradbury to trip up Cousins for an 8-yard sack. Late in the fourth quarter, drove back Reiff to bring down Cousins for a shared 4-yard sack with P. Smith. With just over two minutes remaining in the game, came on a stunt and drove back Bradbury on his way to bringing down Cousins for a 9-yard sack…At Detroit (Dec. 29): Recorded three tackles (one solo), a tackle for a loss, a team-high five QB pressures and a team-best four QB hits...Vs. Seattle (NFC Divisional, Jan. 12): Posted three tackles (two solo), two sacks, a team-high five QB pressures and three QB hits. On Seattle's opening drive of the game, got past LT Duane Brown to trip up QB Russell Wilson for a zero-yard sack. Midway through the second quarter, blew by RT Germain Ifedi to bring down Wilson for a 4-yard sack. Teamed with P. Smith (two sacks) to become just the second duo in franchise history (Neal and Perry at Washington in 2016 playoffs) to both register two-plus sacks in the same postseason game.
2018: Appeared in all 16 games with eight starts and posted 45 tackles (26 solo) and a team-high 8½ sacks…Added a team-high 25 QB hits, two passes defensed and a forced fumble…According to Sportradar, ranked No. 3 among NFL linebackers in QB hits and was tied for No. 6 in total pressures (sacks/hurries/knockdowns) with 35…Posted 7½ sacks on third down, tied for No. 3 in the NFL behind only Rams DT Aaron Donald (8½) and Seahawks DE Frank Clark (eight)…It was the most sacks on third down by a Raven since LB Elvis Dumervil (eight) in 2014…Also started in the Ravens' playoff game and posted a solo tackle…Helped Baltimore rank No. 1 in overall defense (292.9 ypg) and No. 2 in scoring defense (17.9 ppg)…Vs. Buffalo (Sept. 9): Registered five tackles (four solo), tying for the team lead, with a sack and two tackles for a loss as the defense limited the Bills to just 153 yards of total offense. Brought down QB Josh Allen for a 4-yard loss on a third down in the third quarter to force a three-and-out…Vs. Denver (Sept. 23): Posted two tackles (one solo), a sack and a team-high four QB hits. Sacked QB Case Keenum on a third down late in the first quarter to force a Denver punt…At Cleveland (Oct. 7): Recorded a season-high six tackles (two solo) and a half-sack…At Tennessee (Oct. 14): Produced five tackles (four solo), a season-best three sacks and a forced fumble for a defense that posted franchise records for sacks (11) and passing yards allowed (51) in the 21-0 victory. Became the seventh Raven to record three-plus sacks in a game and earned AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors for his performance. All three of his sacks came on third down, including a strip-sack of QB Marcus Mariota in the second quarter that Mariota recovered…At Atlanta (Dec. 2): Posted a sack, bringing down QB Matt Ryan for an 11-yard loss on third down in the second quarter, as the Ravens allowed just 131 yards, the fewest by an Atlanta team since 1999…At L.A. Chargers (Dec. 22): Registered five tackles (four solo), a team-best four QB hits and 1½ sacks as the defense limited the Chargers to a season-low 198 total yards. Brought down Rivers for an 11-yard loss on a third down in the fourth quarter to force a Los Angeles punt.
2017: Played in 14 games with four starts and posted 24 tackles (15 solo), 3½ sacks, a forced fumble and a pass defensed...Ranked No. 3 on the team with 16 QB hits…Was inactive for two contests due to injury (Week 2, Week 14)…At Cincinnati (Sept. 10): Registered three tackles (two solo) and a sack, bringing down QB Andy Dalton for a 9-yard loss on third down on the opening drive in the 20-0 win…At Oakland (Oct. 8): Recorded a season-high four tackles (one solo)…At Cleveland (Dec. 17): Posted a strip-sack of QB DeShone Kizer in the third quarter that was recovered by DT Brandon Williams and returned for a 1-yard TD…Vs. Indianapolis (Dec. 23): Registered a sack for the second straight game, bringing down QB Jacoby Brissett for a 4-yard loss in the fourth quarter on third-and-6 as he matched his season high with four tackles (three solo).
2016: Appeared in 13 games with four starts, finishing with 20 tackles (10 solo), a sack, a pass defensed and a forced fumble for a unit that ranked No. 5 in the NFL in rushing defense (89.4 ypg)…Was inactive for three contests…At Jacksonville (Sept. 25): Registered three tackles (all solo), including two tackles for a loss as the Ravens limited the Jaguars to just 216 yards of total offense…At N.Y. Giants (Oct. 16): Made his first NFL start, posting two tackles (one solo) as the defense held the Giants to 38 rushing yards and didn't allow a rushing first down for just the fifth time in franchise history…Vs. Cleveland (Nov. 10): Recorded three tackles (two solo) and a sack/forced fumble when he brought down QB Josh McCown for an 8-yard loss on third down in the third quarter as the Browns were forced to punt.
2015: Played in 15 games as a rookie and recorded 30 tackles (20 solo), 5½ sacks and a pass defensed for a defense that ranked No. 8 in the NFL (337.4 ypg)…Was the league's only rookie to register two multiple-sack games and became just the third rookie in team history (LBs Peter Boulware and Terrell Suggs) to accomplish the feat…Was inactive for the season opener…At Oakland (Sept. 20): Made his NFL debut, appearing on 33 snaps on defense and recording a solo tackle…At Pittsburgh (Oct. 1): Posted four tackles (all solo) and two sacks, the first sacks of his career, as he became just the fifth rookie in team history to register two-plus sacks in a game. His first career sack came in the third quarter when he brought down QB Michael Vick for a 6-yard loss. Sacked Vick again on the next play, this time for a 7-yard loss on third down to force a Pittsburgh punt…Vs. Jacksonville (Nov. 15): Blocked K Jason Myers' 26-yard FG attempt in the third quarter…Vs. Kansas City (Dec. 20): Matched his season highs with four tackles (three solo) and two sacks for a defense that allowed 277 total yards. Brought down QB Alex Smith for a 3-yard loss in the first quarter and a 1-yard loss in the fourth quarter…Vs. Pittsburgh (Dec. 27): Registered three tackles (two solo) and a sack. Sacked QB Ben Roethlisberger for a 6-yard loss on a third down in the third quarter to force a Pittsburgh punt. Posted the first kickoff return of his career, fielding K Chris Boswell's kick to start the second half and returning it 15 yards to the Baltimore 32…2015 Draft: Was selected by Baltimore with the first pick in the fourth round (No. 122 overall), the first of three selections for the Ravens in the fourth round.
COLLEGE: Started all 24 games in his two seasons at Kentucky, recording 120 tackles (50 solo), 14 tackles for a loss, 10½ sacks, three passes defensed and two fumble recoveries…Began his collegiate career at East Mississippi Community College (Scooba, Miss.), where he totaled 66 tackles, 18 tackles for a loss, 11½ sacks, four forced fumbles, three passes defensed and an INT…Earned his degree in community and leadership development…Senior season (2014): Started all 12 games at DE and finished No. 4 on the team with 61 tackles (26 solo), including 7½ tackles for a loss and 4½ sacks…Ranked third on the team in tackles for a loss and second in sacks…Posted a sack in three consecutive games and in four of the final seven contests…Junior season (2013): Started all 12 games at DE and was tied for third on the team with 59 tackles (24 solo), including 6½ tackles for a loss and six sacks with one pass defensed and a fumble recovery…Recorded a career-high three sacks vs. Miami of Ohio (Sept. 7)…Sophomore season (2012): Posted 47 tackles (29 solo), 11 tackles for a loss and 6½ sacks at East Mississippi Community College…Earned second-team All-America honors from the National Junior College Athletic Association…Also was named to the all-region and all-state teams…Added a team-high four forced fumbles, two passes defensed and an INT…Registered eight tackles (six solo), a sack and a career-best two forced fumbles vs. Pearl River CC (Sept. 1)…Freshman season (2011): Registered 19 tackles, seven tackles for a loss and five sacks as he helped EMCC to a 12-0 mark and the school's first NJCAA national title…Posted three tackles (two solo), a sack and a pass defensed in the NJCAA championship game vs. Arizona Western (Dec. 3).
PERSONAL: Given name Za'Darius Smith...First name is pronounced zuh-DAIR-ee-us…Born in Montgomery, Ala. …Older brother, Bob Meeks, played center at Auburn (1988-91) and for the Denver Broncos (1992-94)…Cousin, DT Davern Williams, played at Troy (1999-2003) and for the N.Y. Giants (2004)…Niece, Kristi Mokube, played basketball at Florida State and George Mason…High school: Didn't play football until his senior season at Greenville (Ala.) High School…Starred in basketball, lettering all four seasons…Community involvement: Participated in the Green Bay Packers Give Back Bowling Event in 2019 to raise money for the Wisconsin Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Association, whose programs champion the needs of abused and neglected children…Hosts a Fourth of July event each year in his hometown that includes fireworks, air jumps and waterslides…Residence: Greenville, Ala.
