Smith credits his mother, Karen, for his successes. "Voice of the Titans" Mike Keith visits with starting tight end Jonnu Smith in this week's "Nissan Insider.". He was signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent in 2014. Millennials is a generation who grew up with computers, internet and social networks. He played college football at Connecticut, and was drafted by the Houston Texans in the sixth round of the 2013 NFL Draft. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the sixth round of the 2006 NFL Draft. [11] He practiced well during the week prior to the Senior Bowl, but was overshadowed by other tight ends who were considered first and second round picks. Tyler Gregory Eifert is an American football tight end for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL). [47], The Titans finished second in the AFC South with a 9–7 record and made the playoffs as a Wild Card team. Here's a look at how that might relate to his work with the Titans' receivers and quarterback. Smith was one of 19 tight ends who received an invitation to attend the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana. Watch the best 100 plays of the 2019 NFL season! • As a sophomore (2014), led all college tight ends with 61 receptions, 710 receiving yards and eight touchdown catches. He became a guitar teacher at age thirteen. PERSONAL:  Both players were injured in Thursday's game against the Jaguars. [42] Two weeks later against the Los Angeles Chargers, he caught three passes for 64 yards as the Titans won 23–20. Downing started an initiative to raise money for 'The 100 Black Men of Middle Tennessee, Inc.', a non-profit organization providing resources to further the academic and social development of black male students in Nashville and surrounding Middle Tennessee. Members of the team's secondary have been training together all over the Middle Tennessee area, doing just about everything imaginable. But Smith isn't wasting any time feeling sorry for himself. He taught himself to play in pawn shops, the owners allowing him to play in exchange for tuning the guitars in the store. The Titans finished second in the AFC South with a 9–7 record and made the playoffs as a Wild Card team. [37] However, during a 30–9 victory against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 14, he suffered a season-ending MCL injury. [3] [4] [5] As a freshman in 2013, Smith played 12 games with 388 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Titans tight end Jonnu Smith was placed on Injured Reserve on Tuesday, ending his 2018 season. Smith's best friend, Willie “Quasim” Jefferson, died from a gunshot in October 2016. [51], Smith is a Christian. Tight end Jonnu Smith hauls in a 63-yard pass from Ryan Tannehill to set up Tennessee's first touchdown of the game. He started playing high school football and even though he was far from a touted recruit, he earned a scholarship to Florida International where his play took off. He played college football for the Tennessee Volunteers and was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the sixth round of the 2013 NFL Draft. Tennessee Titans tight end Jonnu Smith weaves through the New Orleans Saints' D for 41-yard touchdown catch and run. Noah Fant is an American football tight end for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL).