Chris Smith took on three offensive linemen by himself during the Detroit Lions' preseason opener Aug. 13, and head coach Dan Campbell noticed.

Campbell singled out the Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood product after reviewing film of the Lions' 16-14 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, calling Smith someone who handles all the dirty work without complaint.

"Smith, I thought played his tail off," Campbell told reporters Saturday, Aug. 15, at the team's Allen Park facility, according to DetroitLions.com. "The amount of just slug it out dirty work that guy does."

The play that caught Campbell's eye came in the second quarter, first-and-goal from the Lions' 7-yard line. Detroit had only 10 defenders on the field. Smith, a defensive tackle listed at 6-foot-1, 320 pounds, recognized the problem and shifted from his normal 1-technique to a zero nose, lining up directly over the center to balance the front. He absorbed three blockers while Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco handed off to Tahj Brooks for a 3-yard gain, as MLive reported.

Smith, 26, went undrafted in 2023 after playing at Harvard and Notre Dame. He left Harvard's pre-med track to pursue professional football, according to Detroit Football Network. The Detroit native has been with the Lions since, bouncing between the practice squad and the active roster. He appeared in five games during the 2024 season but did not play in 2025, despite making the 53-man roster out of training camp for the first time that year, according to Pride of Detroit.

Campbell, in his sixth season leading Detroit, expanded on what makes Smith valuable in remarks reported by The Morning Sun: Smith takes on double teams without seeking credit, keeps linebackers clean, and never makes the same mistake twice.

Smith said coaches and linebackers notice the work he does in the middle, and that's where his praise comes from. He described his role simply: clog the middle so the linebackers behind him can play fast.

The Lions host the Washington Commanders on Saturday, Aug. 22, at noon for their second preseason game. Smith logged 29 defensive snaps and one tackle against Cincinnati and figures to see time again as he pushes for a regular-season roster spot.