Dressed sharply in his pinstripe suit and purple tie, Baylor offensive tackle Jason Smith didn’t have to sweat out the NFL draft Saturday afternoon in New York City.

Picked second by the St. Louis Rams, Smith’s wait was over in a flash.

Smith became only the third player in Baylor history to be drafted second overall, joining halfback Jack Wilson by the Cleveland Rams in 1942 and quarterback Adrian Burk by the Baltimore Colts in 1950.

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Photos: Jason Smith on draft day, photo retrospective

Jason Smith poses for his obligatory photo with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell (above) and began to introduce himself to St. Louis fans Saturday, telling the media there that he plans to make several Pro Bowls. (Associated Press / Jason DeCrow)

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Video      Smith entertains leading up to draft day

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BAYLOR 1ST-ROUND NFL DRAFT PICKS

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Year	Player	Pos	Pick	Team
1942	Jack Wilson	HB	2	Cleveland Rams
1950	Adrian Burk	QB	2	Baltimore Colts
1952	Larry Isbell	QB	7	Washington Redskins
1954	Cotton Davidson	QB	5	Baltimore Colts
1957	Del Shofner	HB	11	Los Angeles Rams
1957	Bill Glass	G	12	Cleveland Browns
1959	Paul Dickson	T	9	Los Angeles Rams
1962	Ronnie Bull	RB	7	Chicago Bears
1965	Lawrence Elkins	WR	10	Green Bay Packers
1977	Gary Green	DB	10	Kansas City Chiefs
1979	Greg Hawthorne	RB	28	Pittsburgh Steelers
1982	Walter Abercrombie	RB	12	Pittsburgh Steelers
1984	*Mark Adickes	OT	5	Kansas City Chiefs
1990	James Francis	LB	12	Cincinnati Bengals
1996	Daryl Gardener	DT	20	Miami Dolphins
2009	Jason Smith	OT	2	St. Louis Rams

* Picked in supplemental draft

Smith was the first Baylor player selected in the first round of the NFL draft since the Miami Dolphins chose Daryl Gardener with the 20th pick in 1996.

Smith told the St. Louis media in a conference call that he’s anxious to quickly help the Rams, who have gone 5-27 over the past seasons. The 6-foot-5, 307-pound Smith is expected to step in for seven-time Pro Bowl tackle Orlando Pace, who was released by the Rams after a series of injuries.

“Obviously, that is big shoes to follow,” Smith said. “I have to go in and make my own shoes. At the end of the day and end of my career here, I want them to be saying the same things about me: ‘Hey young buddy, you’ve got to go in and replace Jason Smith, 20-time Pro Bowler.’ ”

Smith joined former Texas offensive tackle Leonard Davis, who was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in 2001, as the only No. 2 overall NFL draft selections by Big 12 schools. Smith was the 15th Baylor first-round pick in school history.

Baylor coach Art Briles said Smith showed no signs of nervousness as the draft got under way at Radio City Music Hall. Surrounded by family, old friends and Briles, Baylor strength coach Kaz Kazadi and offensive line coach Randy Clements, Smith was smiling and joking as the Rams went on the clock.

The Detroit Lions selected Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford with the first pick, and most draft experts expected the Rams to take Smith second.

“Jason was pretty at ease — I was a lot more nervous than him,” said Briles in a phone interview Saturday from New York. “Things were happening in a hurry and the people at the draft kept him busy in the green room. Thank goodness, it happened fast.”

When NFL commissioner Roger Goodell announced that the Rams had selected Smith, he hugged several people in his party. Then he walked on stage and hugged Goodell.

“He was pretty humbled and calm,” Briles said. “I felt an unbelievable surge of happiness. It was just a great experience. You never really believe it until you see it and hear it.”

Smith was glad that his Baylor coaches could be with him on his big day.

“I’m excited that I was handed over to the Rams the right way,” said Smith in a statement released by Baylor on Saturday evening. “I’m glad that Coach Kazadi, Coach Briles and Coach Clements were with me. Coach Briles answered the phone and allowed me to talk to Mr. (Billy) Devaney, the general manager of the Rams. They took my BU pin off and put the Rams pin on my suit coat.”

For Smith, Saturday’s draft selection was the culmination of a remarkable rise from an injury-plagued junior year to an All-American senior year. Smith missed five games as a junior due to a knee injury, but could have still been selected in the second or third round.

After Briles became Baylor’s coach in November 2007, Smith decided to return for his senior year. He became one of the most dominating offensive linemen in the Big 12, and wowed NFL scouts at the February combine in Indianapolis with his athletic ability and character.

“Jason understood that a year ago he was a late second-round or third-round pick,” Briles said. “He knew the steps he needed to take to become a first-rounder, and he went out and did it. I really respected his workmanlike and professional attitude. He’s a person with a plan, and is one of the most ferocious and intense practice players that I’ve been around.”

After Smith was drafted by the Rams, Briles was asked what his favorite Jason Smith experience was.

“My favorite Jason Smith experience?” Briles said. “It happened about an hour ago.”

jwerner@wacotrib.com

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NFL DRAFT — ROUND 1 HIGHLIGHTS