Former NFL cornerback Alphonso Smith Jr. is dead at the age of 40.
Smith, who spent four seasons in the NFL, died by suicide at a housing community in Florida, according to TMZ. His death came after he made a final Facebook post that essentially functioned as a suicide note.
Smith was a standout cornerback at Wake Forest, where he was a consensus All-American as a senior in 2008. The Denver Broncos made him the 37th overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, but traded him to the Detroit Lions after one season.
Smith spent three years with the Lions, where he intercepted eight passes over the course of his career. He was ultimately out of the NFL after the 2012 season and did not play professionally again.
At Wake Forest, Smith had 188 total tackles over four seasons to go with 21 total interceptions.














