Alphonso Smith, a two-time All-America defensive back from Wake Forest who played four seasons in the NFL, has died at age 40.
Smith died Wednesday, according to Wake Forest. The school’s announcement confirmed the death of a player who became one of the most decorated defensive backs in Demon Deacons history.
A football standout from Pahokee, Florida, Smith earned All-America recognition twice while playing for Wake Forest. That is rare company for any college defensive back. He then took his game to the NFL, where he spent four seasons with the Denver Broncos and Detroit Lions.
The professional chapter was short. It was not empty — four years in the league means he stuck around longer than most draft picks do. But it never matched the college reputation. That is the familiar arc for many college All-Americas, and Smith’s career fits it without shame.
What holds up is the Wake Forest legacy. Two All-America selections put him near the top of a program that has sent its share of defensive backs to the next level. Smith’s college résumé was not a footnote. It was the headline.
He was 40.
