TRENDING: Former All-ACC LB Arrested Again

Originally posted on Mike Farrell Sports
By Mark Pszonak | Last updated Jul 7, 2025 11:37 AM ET

Some players don’t deal with life off the field very well. Former Florida State linebacker Telvin Smith is another example of this as his legal problems continued over the holiday weekend after an arrest.

First reported by New4Jax in Jacksonville, Florida, Smith was arrested on Thursday and accused of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill, which is a third-degree felony. He was booked into the jail early Friday morning and appeared before a judge on Friday, July 4, with a bond set at $75,003.

Nov 30, 2013; Gainesville, FL, USA; Florida State Seminoles linebacker Telvin Smith (22) reacts after they beat the against the Florida Gators at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Florida State Seminoles defeated the Florida Gators 37-7.© Kim Klement-Imagn Images

This the latest of a growing list of run-ins with the police. On April 29, 2020, Smith was arrested on charges of unlawful sexual contact with a minor in Jacksonville, Florida. He pleaded not guilty, and on May 21, 2021, he pleaded no contest for his unlawful sexual activity. He received three years of probation and was ordered to undergo counseling. Almost two years later he was cited for animal neglect after allegedly leaving dogs tethered and tangled to a fence.

Smith played with the Seminoles from 2010 to 2013, with his final season being the most memorable. In 2013 he earned All-ACC honors after totaling 75 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss and three interceptions. Smith was a fifth-round draft pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2014 and a Pro Bowl selection in 2017. In 2019 he announced that he was retiring to “get my world in order.”

This article first appeared on Mike Farrell Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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