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Before the NFL, Za'Darius Smith was just excited to see himself on a billboard in Lexington

Drew Franklinby: Drew Franklin10/13/25DrewFranklinKSR
Screenshot 2025-10-13 at 6.15.27 PM

Before his surprise retirement on Monday and before his 10-plus years in the NFL, Za’Darius Smith was a Kentucky Wildcat, one of the early stars of the Mark Stoops era. Smith was the first player to sign with Stoops in December of 2012, setting up two seasons as an every-game starter on the defensive line. He recorded 120 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, and 10.5 quarterback sacks in 2013 and 2014, earning a place in the 2015 NFL Draft as a fourth-round selection to Baltimore. Smith went on to play for six NFL teams with three Pro Bowl selections.

As the football world reacts to Smith’s unexpected announcement, here’s a memory of a young Za’Darius Smith getting his first taste of stardom in Lexington. The marketing team at UK Athletics used his face on a billboard promoting football tickets, then captured Smith seeing his billboard for the first time.

It was a wholesome throwback from before the NIL era made student-athletes on billboards common and before Smith earned over $80 million as an NFL star. Congratulations to the first Big Z on his retirement from a long and successful career.

From the Kentucky Wildcats TV vault:

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2025-10-19