Description
Jaryd Jones-Smith is an offensive lineman for the Houston Texans. He was signed by the Texans shortly after the 2018 NFL Draft as an undrafted free agent. The versatile offensive lineman played college football for the Pittsburgh Panthers.
Jones-Smith attended Philadelphia’s West Catholic High School, where he was selected All-State Class AA by the Pennsylvania Sports Writers. He was a two-way lineman who led West Catholic to a 7-4 record, the Catholic League Class AA championship and the PIAA playoffs as a senior. He was selected to play in the Chesapeake Bowl, a senior all-star game featuring players from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia. The talented lineman was also selected to play in the Big 33 Football Classic (Pennsylvania vs. Maryland). In addition to football, Jones-Smith lettered in basketball and track and field at West Catholic.
Jones-Smith started at right tackle for the Panthers across from Vikings second-rounder Brian O’Neill, and at times outshined his more coveted teammate. A natural pass-protector with good feet when kick-sliding, he performed well against NC State’s fearsome front-four (all of whom were drafted in 2018) particularly but was consistently solid throughout the season. In 2017, he played in all 12 contests, starting nine on Pitt’s offensive front at right tackle. The 22-year old finished his collegiate career with 33 games played and 13 starts. He was rewarded for his stellar play by being selected to play in the 2018 East-West Shrine Game.
Built similarly to Houston’s left tackle Julie’n Davenport, Jones-Smith has equally freakish arm length and uses his long limbs well to control rushers threatening him on the outside. At the 2018 NFL Combine, Jones-Smith’s measurements and his wingspan came in at a staggering 88.5 inches. Chase Goodbread of NFL.com noted that Jones-Smith not only won the combine’s “Pterodactyl Award” for longest wingspan, but he also set a record for the longest wingspan ever recorded at the event. Goodbread noted that the combine’s wingspan data only dates back to 2011, but despite the brief amount of time that the measurement has been tracked at the event, Jones-Smith’s is still truly impressive, as it happens to match 6’11” NBA center Dwight Howard’s. Jones-Smith was also a top performer among offensive linemen in two categories, as he posted the eighth-best broad jump (109 inches) and the 11th-best 40-yard dash (5.22 seconds).
The East-West Shrine Game is the oldest and one of the most respected of the post-season collegiate bowl games. Since 1925, the game has been known for the quality of the players and coaches, as well as for the excitement of great college football action. But that’s not what makes the game “Football’s Finest Hour.” What makes the East-West Game so special is its true purpose — helping to support Shriners Hospitals for Children.
Every year since 1925, the East-West Game has been played to raise funds for Shriners Hospitals for Children and to raise awareness about the expert orthopaedic, burn, spinal cord injury rehabilitation, and cleft lip and palate care, available at no charge to patients and families, through the 22 Shriners Hospitals for Children. The players themselves regard the game in a special light, as they learn the true purpose of the game during a pre-game visit to the Shriners Hospital in Tampa, Florida.
The featured East-West Shrine Game shirt was game worn by Jaryd Jones-Smith under his jersey as a member of the East Team All-Stars. The game was played at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, on January 20, 2018 and featured NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision players and a few select invitees from Canadian university football, rostered into “East” and “West” teams. Texas Tech quarterback Nic Shimonek hit Houston wide receiver Steven Dunbar for the game-winning touchdown with just over a minute left to give the West a hard-fought 14-10 victory over the East. Jones-Smith has signed the shirt and added “Worn in East West Game 2018” in blue. As could be viewed from the images, the shirt was folded and the signatures have smudged onto another area of the shirt. The sleeves were cut off for comfort and the shirt is unwashed.
*****Please note that the shirt is whiter than the images.
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