Where Are They Now? Akili Smith

I'm sure everyone remembers the #3 pick from the 1999 NFL Draft, Akili Smith, and the great numbers he put up during his NFL career..... just to think the Bengals passed on Donovan McNabb and payed Smith a 10.8 million signing bonus to be the franchise of the Bengals for years to come. Unfortunately that didn't work out and Smith's life has taken him elsewhere, away from the field.

A recent report from SI stated that during his playing career Smith was prone to jetting back to San Diego [his hometown] and partied. He constantly got calls from multiple women, his boys, club promoters ... and he gave in to temptation. In his own words, "I was a complete embarrassment off the field."

After he retired from football in 2007, he returned to San Diego to take on a QB coaching job at Grossmont Junior College. He's also working towards his masters in theology and divinity. You may ask, why is Smith working towards a masters in divinity? Reason is he's following in the footsteps of his father, Ray, who's a pastor at the United Missionary Baptist Church, where Akili is already a deacon. He's also quarterbacking the church's flag football team named God's house.

From Top 5 draft pick to a deacon and flag football starting QB in less than 10 years..... how time flies.