Eight years ago, Xavier Smith was 5-foot-9 and, at best when soaking wet, 155 pounds. He received zero scholarship offers, despite creating a highlight reel and contacting more than 100 colleges. After accepting a job at Amazon, he walked on at Florida A&M and eventually signed as a non-drafted free agent.
Promoted from the practice squad before Sunday’s game, Smith may have saved the season for the Los Angeles Rams in a 27-24 win over San Francisco.
In a 24-24 tie, his 38-yard punt return in the final minute put the Rams at midfield, his first career touch in the NFL. One play later, Matthew Stafford’s deep pass to Colby Parkinson drew a 49ers pass-interference penalty to set up rookie Joshua Karty’s 37-yard field goal.
Smith’s return set up the culmination of a 14-point Rams comeback. Per NFL researcher Blake Warye, it was the franchise’s largest comeback since Sept. 16, 2012, when the St. Louis Rams overcame a 21-6 deficit to beat Washington, whose coaching staff included Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVay.
The Rams’ took their only lead of the afternoon on Karty’s game-winning field goal.