Wake Forest is mourning one of its great defensive playmakers.
Alphonso Smith, a former Demon Deacons standout and 2025 Wake Forest Sports Hall of Fame inductee, died on Sept. 2, 2026, the school announced. Smith still stands atop the ACC’s all-time interceptions list with 21, and he ranks second in Wake Forest history with 61 passes defended. He was also an important piece of the 2006 ACC Championship team.
Jim Grobe, who is also in the Wake Forest Sports Hall of Fame, remembered Smith in deeply personal terms.
"First and foremost, I am heartbroken," said Wake Forest Sports Hall of Famer Jim Grobe. "Alphonso was one of those special people that every time you saw him, he had a big smile on his face and he just made you feel better to be around him.
And he was obviously a great football player, too. I just loved him and he was great to have on our football team.
The team loved him, and he was a difference maker. He won a bunch of games for us and he made a lot of plays, especially late in the fourth quarter that turned games around and won games for us.
He was an instinctive player. But, the No. 1 attribute I remember about Alphonso is his smile.
He was a blessing for us."
Smith arrived in Winston-Salem in 2005 and made an immediate impact, earning first-team Freshman All-American honors from CollegeFootballNews.com, ESPN.com and Scout.com. The Sporting News and Rivals.com both placed him on their second-team Freshman All-American lists, and he also made The Sporting News ACC All-Freshman Team.
His 2007 season became part of Wake Forest lore. Against Maryland, Smith raced 100 yards for an interception return - the longest in school history - helping fuel a comeback from a 24-3 deficit in a 31-24 overtime win over the Terps. That year, he piled up a school-record eight interceptions, a total that led both the NCAA and the ACC.
The awards followed. Smith was named first-team All-ACC, second-team All-American by Walter Camp, third-team All-American by the Associated Press and honorable mention All-American by Sports Illustrated.
He closed his Wake Forest career in 2008 with seven interceptions and a second straight first-team All-ACC selection. That season also brought first-team All-American recognition from the Associated Press, American Football Coaches Association, Football Writers Association, Walter Camp and CBS Sports.
Smith was a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Award, given annually to the nation’s top defensive player, after that standout run.
The NFL called next. Smith was selected by the Denver Broncos in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft and later spent three years with the Detroit Lions. His professional career ended with 88 tackles, 19 pass deflections, eight interceptions, two defensive touchdowns and two fumbles forced.
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