COLUMBIA, Mo. – Former Missouri defensive end Justin Smith has been honored as Mizzou’s member of the 2016 SEC Legends Class, announced Tuesday by the Southeastern Conference. The SEC Legends are a collection of former football standouts who will be honored at events surrounding the SEC Football Championship Game in Atlanta in December.

Smith was one of the top pass rushing defensive ends in Tiger history. He was a first-team All-American as a junior in 2000 before bypassing his final year of eligibility for the NFL.  In his final season as a Tiger, he recorded 97 total tackles and 11 quarterback sacks, both Mizzou season records at the time. In just three years, he established the MU career sacks record with 22.5.

Smith went on to become the highest-ever draft pick by a Mizzou Tiger when he was selected with the No. 4 overall pick of the 2000 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals. He turned in a stellar 14-year NFL career, becoming one of the league’s most feared defenders in seven seasons with the Bengals and the San Francisco 49ers.  He was selected for five consecutive Pro Bowls (2009-2013), and was named to the AP All-Pro Team in both 2011 and 2012. Sports Illustrated named him the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2011 and he helped lead the 49ers to Super Bowl XLVII.

The class will be honored at the 2016 SEC Football “Weekend of Champions” Dec. 2-3 in Atlanta, Ga.  The annual SEC Legends Dinner presented by AT&T will be held Dec. 2 at the Hyatt Regency in Atlanta and the group will also be recognized prior to the SEC Football Championship Game, which will be held at the Georgia Dome on Sat., Dec. 3.

— Mizzou Athletics —