He transferred to the Metropolitan State University of Denver, Colorado where he played power forward on the basketball team.

[2] As Smith completed his degree at Metro State, and basketball season had ended, he began playing rugby union on weekends to stay fit.

[3] Smith joined the professional English side Saracens FC in the 2008/09 season on an academy contract.

Smith impressed to earn a first-team contract for the following seasons in which he went on to play a total of 43 matches in both the English Premiership and the Heineken Cup.

Smith helped his country qualify for the 2011 Rugby World Cup during which he started all 4 group stage matches for the United States.

[12] Smith started for Saracens in the 2014–15 Anglo-Welsh Cup Final helping them claim a victory at the death, 23–20 over Exeter Chiefs.

[13] Smith resumed playing for the United States in March 2014 in the qualifying matches for the 2015 Rugby World Cup.