Kevin Smith ( cornerback ) Kevin Rey Smith ( born April 7 , 1970 ) is a former professional American football player who played cornerback in the National Football League for nine seasons for the Dallas Cowboys . High school career . Smith help lead West Orange - Stark High School to back to back 4A State Championships ( 1986 – 1987 ) . He earned All - State on both sides of the ball his senior year , after intercepting 12 passes and catching 9 touchdowns . Smith was also a letterman in baseball , basketball and track and field . He was recruited to play wide receiver for University of Houston and Louisiana State University . College career . Smith attended Texas A & M University , where he was a cornerstone for several successful Aggie football teams with his stellar play at cornerback . In 1991 the Aggies allowed only 222 . 4 yards per game to lead the nation in total defense . He helped win the Southwest Conference championship in 1991 and 1992 . As a senior he was called upon to return kicks midway through the season . He quickly made his mark returning one punt 71 yards for a touchdown against Rice University and latter adding a 73 yard touchdown kickoff return against Texas . He finished the season with the sixth best punt return average in the nation and scored six special teams touchdown s . Smith owns the all - time Aggie interception and Southwest Conference record with 20 . He was an All - SWC selection for 3 straight years , a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award given to the nation ' s best defensive back and was a consensus All - American in 1991 . He is arguably the greatest cornerback in Texas A & M University history and was inducted into the Texas A & M Athletic Hall of Fame in 1997 . Professional career . Smith was drafted in the first round of the 1992 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys and became the starting left cornerback late in his rookie season , helping the team win their first Super Bowl since the 1970s . In his second season , Smith ’ s confidence , natural ability , consistency and intelligence earned him a place with the elite defensive backs in the NFL . That year he led the Cowboys with six interception s and teamed with Larry Brown to form the youngest set of starting cornerbacks in the NFL . In 1994 he led the team with 17 passes defended . Smith was well on his way to stardom with 39 consecutive regular - season starts , until his career was de - railed when he tore his achilles tendon in the first game of the 1995 season against the New York Giants on " Monday Night Football " . Although the Cowboys were already in discussions to possibly sign the flashy free agent cornerback Deion Sanders , the move went from a luxury to a need and Sanders was signed the following week . While recovering from the injury , Smith appeared in a Nike commercial with Sanders , using crutches and playing the role of " The Gipper " . In 1996 he regained his starting position and teamed with Sanders to form one of the strongest corner combos in the NFL . That season he had 5 interception s and established a career - high with 18 passes defensed . Including 1998 , Smith led the Cowboys in passes defensed every year he was in the league , except 1992 ( rookie season ) and 1995 ( missed due to injury ) . He ended up winning 3 Super Bowl s in his first 4 seasons . In 1999 he reported to training camp with a back injury and never got on track . He missed eight games because of the back and other problems that stemmed from it . Smith ' s final season was in 2000 , retiring after hurting his knee during training camp . He played nine seasons in the NFL , intercepting 19 passes and returning one for a touchdown . Personal life . After retiring from the NFL , Smith would return for one season as the color commentator of Texas A & M football games ( where he worked with longtime Aggie Play - by - play man Dave South ) .