Smith didn't have any Division I offers coming out of high school, so he accepted a football scholarship from Jackson State University.
After missing ample time during the season, he was listed as the fourth wide receiver on the Dallas Cowboys' depth chart, behind Michael Irvin, Alvin Harper, and Kelvin Martin.
In a Week 16 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons, Smith had the highlight of his rookie year, tackling Deion Sanders during a punt return in a 41–17 victory.
On January 10, 1993, he appeared in his first career playoff game during the Cowboys' 34–10 win over the Philadelphia Eagles, playing on special teams.
Smith earned the first ring of his career as a rookie, after the Cowboys went on to Super Bowl XXVII and defeated the Buffalo Bills 52–17.
On August 21, Smith began feeling a pain in his abdominal area and brought it to the attention of two trainers and the team doctor, J.D.
Over the next few days, he repeatedly brought the pain to the attention of the trainers and wasn't given adequate care or the correct diagnosis.
He went into emergency surgery for an ileostomy, in which a portion of his intestine was dissected and removed, with an external bag then fitted to collect his fecal matter, forcing Smith to miss the entire season, including Super Bowl XXVIII.
[6] The NFL Players Association filed a grievance with the Cowboys on Smith's behalf, alleging that he was due his full salary, which he won after going through arbitration.
[10] He competed with Desmond Howard, Ernest Givens, Willie Jackson, Cedric Tillman, and Curtis Marsh throughout training camp for a job as a starting wide receiver.
Head coach Tom Coughlin named him the fifth wide receiver on the depth chart behind Howard, Givens, Jackson, and Tillman.
His teammates gave him the nickname J-Smooth and would later be known with Keenan McCardell as "Thunder and Lightning", after a TV Guide photo shoot in 1997.
Smith continued to be a key member of the Jaguars offense and helped lead the team to playoff appearances for four straight years (1996–1999).
In 2001, he overcame three difficult intestine operations during the offseason, to remove scar tissue related to the appendectomy procedure he underwent in Dallas.
[19] The roll consists of "smoked salmon, cream cheese, scallions and crabstick deep fried with spicy mayo sauce".