Aldon Smith Aldon Jacarus Smith ( born September 25 , 1989 ) is an American football outside linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League ( NFL ) . He played college football for the University of Missouri . He was chosen by the 49ers with the seventh overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft . Early years . Born in Greenwood , Mississippi , Smith attended Raytown High School in Raytown , Missouri , where he recorded 60 tackles , 21 tackles for loss , and 12 quarterback sack s , while adding 7 forced fumbles , 1 blocked punt and 1 safety as a senior . He also stood out on offense , as he caught 34 passes for 570 yards and 4 TDs as a tight end . Considered only a three - star recruit by Rivals . com , Smith was considered No . 5 overall prospect ( any position ) in the state of Missouri , as well as the No . 27 strongside defensive end in the nation . Smith chose Mizzou over Nebraska , Kansas and Kansas State , among many others . College career . After being redshirted as a freshman in 2008 , Smith started 11 of 13 games at defensive end in 2009 . He finished the season with 60 tackles and 11 sacks . He was named the Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year and a first team freshman All - American . As a sophomore in 2010 he played in nine games , recording 48 tackles and six sacks . After the season Smith announced that he would forgo his final two years of eligibility and enter the 2011 NFL Draft . Professional career . 2011 NFL Draft . Playing as a defensive end at Missouri , Smith was considered a " DE / OLB prospect " by most NFL scouts and was considered a strong edge run defender as 4 - 3 end or 3 - 4 linebacker . Many scouts had compared him to DeMarcus Ware . Prior to the 2011 NFL Draft he was projected to selected in the mid - late first round by mock draft analysis . On Draft day , the San Francisco 49ers decided to draft Smith with the 7th overall pick . 2011 season . Smith did not start but did make his NFL debut against the Seattle Seahawks . In a match against the Philadelphia Eagles in week 4 he recorded his first sack taking down Michael Vick . The next 2 weeks Smith would win the Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week in victories against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Detroit Lions . After a strong month of October , Smith became the first 49ers player since Patrick Willis in 2007 to earn the NFL Rookie of the Month , he recorded 13 tackles , 6 . 5 sacks including 1 that forced a safety as he helped San Francisco to a 6 - 1 record . In Week 15 Smith recorded 2 . 5 sacks against the Pittsburgh Steelers . He also surpassed Charles Haley for the 49ers record for most sacks by a rookie in a single season with 13 . 0 sacks . He finished with 37 total tackles , four pass deflections , two forced fumbles , and 14 sacks . Smith was half a sack shy of tying the all - time rookie sack record held by Jevon Kearse despite not starting a single game in his rookie season . He was named Defensive Rookie of the Year by Pro Football Writers of America , and finished second to Von Miller for the Associated Press NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award 2012 season . After being used only as a situational pass rusher throughout his rookie season , Aldon Smith became a full - time starter in 2012 . In Week 11 he set a Monday Night Football record by recording 5 . 5 sacks against the Chicago Bears . The next week , in a game against the New Orleans Saints , he surpassed Reggie White as the fastest player in league history to record his 30th career sack , doing so in 27 games . The next week , against the St . Louis Rams , Smith broke another of White ' s records by recording 31 . 5 sacks in his first two seasons . In that same game , he tied Fred Dean ' s franchise record of 17 . 5 sacks in one season . Personal life . On January 28 , 2012 , Aldon Smith was arrested for DUI in Miami Beach , Florida . On June 30 , 2012 , Smith was believed to have suffered stab wounds when attempting to break up a fight at a house party in San Jose , Calif . On December 13 , 2012 , Smith announced that he would be making a charitable donation of $ 5099 per each of sacks during his sack record - pace 2012 NFL regular season . The total would be split between the Boys & Girls Club of San Francisco ( Willy Mays Clubhouse at Hunters Point ) and Boys & Girls Clubs of The Peninsula ( East Palo Alto Clubhouse ) .