Throwback Thursday: Former Notre Dame Tight End, Irv Smith

This week I’d like to take some time to walk down memory lane with my friend and classmate, former Notre Dame Fighting Irish tight end, Irv Smith. He lights up the room as soon as he walks in with that smile and signature dimples. He’s a friend to everyone, would give you the shirt off his back, and always found a way to talk the dining hall ladies out of an extra steak on “steak night.” (Even though none of us were sure they were really steaks.) Irv Smith worked his way from being a three-sport star at tiny Pemberton High in New Jersey to becoming the 20th overall pick in the first round of the 1993 NFL Draft. At Pemberton High, Smith earned all-division, all-county and all-state accolades as a tight end, linebacker and safety in football and also starred in baseball and basketball. Irv originally committed to play football at Clemson until the Notre Dame Value Stream got a hold of him and he changed his path. He played football and baseball at Notre Dame and was talented enough on the baseball diamond to be drafted by the Houston Astros after his junior year at Notre Dame, but he decided to stay for his senior year to focus on football. Irv was drafted by the New Orleans Saints with the 20th pick of the first round and went on to play seven seasons in the NFL with the Saints, San Francisco 49ers and Cleveland Browns. Smith finished his NFL career with 183 receptions for 1,788 yards, averaging 9.8 yards per carry, and had 15 touchdowns.

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