Ryan Smenda, Jr.

Height:
6-2
Weight:
235
Class:
Sophomore
Hometown:
Orange Park, FL
High School:
Fleming Island

Career Accolades

2022 All-ACC Honorable Mention
2022 Preseason Fourth Team All-ACC by Athlon
2021 Preseason Second Team All-ACC by Pro Football Focus
2020 Preseason Phil Steele Preseason All-ACC Second Team

Career Summary

Finished his Wake Forest career with 355 total tackles, the most by any Demon Deacon since 2000 and the eighth-most in program history...Posted a career-best 117 tackles during his senior season which is the highest single-season total since 2006…Led the Demon Deacons in total tackles in 2019 with 81 including 38 solo tackles...Tallied a career-best 16 tackles against Wisconsin in the 2020 Duke's Mayo Bowl which was also a Wake Forest bowl game record.

2022 (Senior)

Posted historic numbers during his senior season, recording a team-best 117 tackles, the most by a Demon Deacon since the 2006 season. His senior total helped him move up in the career ranks finishing eighth all-time and having the highest total since 2000…Finished the season with 41 solo tackles and 76 assisted tackles while also having 5.5 tackles for loss, eight quarterback hurries, three pass deflections and a fumble recovery…Tallied seven games with double-digit tackles and had five or more tackles in all but one game…Tied his career high twice with 16 tackles in back-to-back weeks against in-state rivals NC State and North Carolina…Recorded a tackle for loss in seven games during his senior season…Recovered a clutch fumble recovery against Liberty in the fourth quarter, returning it 18 yards to set up a touchdown that proved to be the game-winning score.

2021 (Junior)
Finished second on the team with 83 total tackles while also leading the team with 40 assisted tackles and had 4.5 tackles for loss…Recorded double-digit tackle games against North Carolina (10 tackles) and Pittsburgh (11 tackles) while also having nine tackles in a win at Virginia and eight tackles in a win at Syracuse…Ranked second in the ACC with three forced fumbles…Tallied for or more solo tackles in three games (Syracuse, North Carolina and Pittsburgh).

2020 (Junior)
Appeared in all nine games, starting seven contests ... Finished the season third on team with 52 total tackles, including five tackles for a loss ... Led defense with a career-high 16 tackles in Duke's Mayo Bowl vs. Wisconsin (12/30), including 2.5 tackles for loss ... Notched eight total tackles and a QB Hit vs UNC (11/14) ...Tallied five solo tackles including two TFLs and one sack vs Syracuse (10/31) ... Picked up seven total tackles vs Virginia (10/17) ... Named to the Phil Steele Preseason All-ACC Second Team ... Earned his third varsity letter.

2019 (Sophomore)
Started all 13 games at inside linebacker as a sophomore ... Led the team in tackles with 81 ... Finished second on the team with 7.0 tackles for loss ... Finished 25th in the ACC in tackles per game at 6.2 ... Tallied a pair of double-digit tackle games with 10 at Virginia Tech (11/9) and a career-high 11 vs. Duke (11/23) ... Team tackle leader vs. the Blue Devils ... Grabbed an interception and three-yard return vs. Michigan State in the Pinstripe Bowl ... Notched six tackles and a tackle for loss vs. UNC (9/13) ... First career start came against Utah State (8/30) as he recorded seven tackles and a quarterback hurry ... On the field for 881 plays with a season-high of 91 against Florida State (10/19).

2018 (Freshman)
Played in eight games as a true freshman ... Saw action in his first collegiate game at Tulane (8/30) and recorded two tackles ... Saw considerable action on special teams ... Season-best 69 snaps vs. NC State (11/8) ... ... Made his first career fumble recovery vs Notre Dame (9/22) and returned it 17 yards ... Had three special teams tackles on the year ... Finished first campaign with 22 total tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and one sack ... Recorded the sack against Towson (9/8) ... Season-high five tackles against Towson and NC State (11/8).

High School
Two-year team captain ... A consensus three-star athlete by Rivals, 247Sports and ESPN ... Rated the No. 37 inside linebacker in the nation by 247 ... Played for Coach Damenyum Springs ... No. 18 on the Times-Union’s Super 11 ... Three-year varsity starter ... As a senior was named the Florida Times-Union Defensive Player of the Year and the Clay Today Defensive Player of the Year ... Named the FACA District 6 Class 7-A Player of the Year ... Had 175 tackles, 21 tackles for loss, three blocked punts, four blocked field goals and one interception as a senior ... Led the area in tackles ... Had 23 tackles during a regular season game against Bartram Trail ... Considered the centerpiece of the best defense in Northeast Florida ... Had a 56-yard score vs Edgewater ... First team All-Clay County as a linebacker and punter ... Had 14 tackles and a rushing touchdown in a win over Middleburg ... Against Sandalwood, recorded 13 tackles, three tackles for loss, blocked a punt that he returned for a TD, blocked an extra point, recovered a fumble and scored on a 51-yard run from scrimmage ... Third team all-state class 7A as a junior... Collected 78 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, two sacks, six quarterback hurries, one interception and averaged 40 yards per punt on 43 punts ... Second team all-state as an all-purpose player by Florida HS Football ... Helped the wrestling team finish second in the 3A state tournament after winning area, district and region championships in 2016 ... Won the state wrestling championship at 220 pounds as a senior ... Three-time state medalist in wrestling ... Wrestled at 195 pounds, as a junior, posting a record of 49-7 and finishing fifth in state ... Three-time district champion and two-time region champion in wrestling.

Personal
Son of Ryan and LaToya Smenda ... Both parents are retired from the U.S. Navy ... Born Jan. 28, 2000 ... Member of the honor roll all four years of high school ... Older brother Austin plays defensive end at South Dakota State...Majoring in Communications.