Jaryd Jones-Smith signs with Miami Dolphins

Former Pitt offensive lineman Jaryd Jones-Smith signed with the Miami Dolphins on Tuesday, according to an announcement from the team. Jones-Smith most recently played for the San Antonio Commanders of the Alliance of American Football, but he was displaced when the league suspended operations.

The Commanders finished as the first-place team in the Western Conference of the AAF with a record of 5-3, and Jones-Smith played in each of the team’s eight games.

AAF players were granted permission to sign with NFL teams last Thursday, and since then, dozens of players have opted to pursue opportunities in the NFL. Jones-Smith is the second Pitt product to move from the AAF to the NFL, as former Pitt and San Diego Fleet defensive lineman Shakir Soto signed with the Dallas Cowboys on Monday.

Jones-Smith arrived at Pitt in 2013 and was part of the team until 2017. During the course of his college career, he saw action in 33 games and started in 13 games. The 6’6”, 322-pound guard also notably won the Pterodactyl Award, which is given to the player with the longest wingspan, at the 2018 NFL combine. Jones-Smith’s wingspan measured 88.5 inches, which is the same length as 6’11” NBA center Dwight Howard’s.

Prior to his time in the AAF, Jones-Smith was signed by the Houston Texans out of college in May 2018 and took part in the team’s training camp before eventually getting cut.

With the Dolphins, Jones-Smith will look to build on his success with the Commanders and earn himself a roster spot by impressing the staff during preseason activities. The Dolphins’ voluntary minicamp gets underway on April 16, and organized team activities begin on May 13.