NFL player and defensive end Corey Smith most recently played for the Detroit Lions in the National Football League.

The Detroit Lions held a memorial service for Smith on March 21, 2009, in his hometown of Richmond, Virginia. During the ceremony, the team announced the retirement of Smith's #93 jersey for the 2009 season.ESPN.com: Lions to Retire Smith's No. 93 in '09 Smith was on a 21-foot boat with Marquis Cooper of the Oakland Raiders and two other men, Will Bleakley and Nick Schuyler, in Florida, when the boat was reported missing on March 1, 2009. Schuyler was the only survivor.

After Smith, Cooper, Schuyler and Bleakley did not return from their fishing trip as expected, the U.S. Coast Guard began to search the area. On the morning of March 2, 2009, Schuyler was spotted clinging to the capsized boat, but the other men were not found. The Coast Guard called off the search at 6:30 p.m. on March 3, 2009, and said that the other men would have been found by then if they were still alive.The Seattle Times: Father: Coast Guard Losing Hope of Finding Players

Schyler later told authorities that both NFL players had removed their life jackets and drifted off to see after hours of clinging to the boat through frigid waves.FOXNews.com: Florida Boat Accident Survivor: 2 NFL Players Gave Up Hope

Prior to playing in the NFL, Smith played college football with the NC State Wolfpack in the NCAA. He played in 46 games, recording 158 tackles, including 30 for a loss, and 15.5 sacks. Smith earned an All-ACC selection for his performance. After college, Smith went undrafted in the 2002 NFL draft.Official Site of the Detroit Lions: Corey Smith

Smith signed as a free agent with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2002 and made his professional debut that same year, playing in six games. He saw limited action during two additional seasons with the Buccaneers, playing a total of five games as knee injuries forced him to the sidelines. In 2004, Smith signed as a free agent with the San Francisco 49ers. He played just a single game that season, then joined the 49ers for 14 games in 2005, posting 12 tackles and one pass deflection. In 2006, Smith signed with the Detroit Lions and played all 16 games in 2007. He saw career highs in 2008, recording 30 tackles, three sacks and one interception.Official Site of the Detroit Lions: Corey Smith