Troy Smith signs with DeBartolo Jr.'s agency
The quarterback, now an OSU graduate, is expected to be a first-round NFL Draft pick in April.
CANFIELD -- Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith has signed with Eddie DeBartolo's Tampa-based sports agency.
Friday at the Hampton Inn here, the Ohio State quarterback signed with sports agents Ralph Cindrich and Brian Kopp of DeBartolo Sports and Entertainment LLC.
"We are very pleased today to welcome Troy Smith into the DeBartolo Sports family," said DeBartolo, the Boardman native who once owned the San Francisco 49ers. "It is an honor to partner with such a poised young man and accomplished athlete.
The Cleveland native took over as the Buckeyes starting quarterback midway through the 2004 season and was 25-3 in games he started.
Family input
"When it came down to which sports agency would be representing me, my family was a tremendous influence in helping me to shape my decision," Smith said. "My mother told me that to be a success, partners have to think the same way and their hearts have to beat with the same pulse.
"There is no doubt in my mind that DSE, Mr. DeBartolo, Ralph Cindrich and Brian Kopp have this in common with me," Smith said.
"I'm proud to become a member of the DeBartolo Sports family."
This season, the Buckeyes were 12-0 before losing Monday's BCS Championship Game to Florida, 41-14, in Glendale, Ariz. Florida's defense harassed Smith and the Buckeyes, limiting them to just 82 total yards.
Smith completed four of 14 passes for 35 yards and threw one interception as the Buckeyes' 19-game winning streak was snapped.
Smith has graduated from Ohio State with a degree in communication. He's expected to be a first-round NFL Draft pick in April.
"The future is extremely bright for Troy and we look forward to a long and rewarding relationship with him," DeBartolo said.
Smith earned Ohio State's seventh Heisman Trophy and joined a fraternity of the nation's most elite players.
Role model
"Troy Smith embodies the true fabric of what a DeBartolo Sport's athlete represents -- integrity, honesty and his unwavering desire to be a role model for the youth in America," DeBartolo said.
After being suspended for two games for accepting 500 from an Ohio State booster in 2004, Smith rebounded with strong junior and senior seasons.
In 2006, he was named "Player of the Year" by The Sporting News, a first-team selection to the Walter Camp All-America team and a first-team All-America selection by the American Football Coaches Association.
In 2005, the Buckeyes were 10-2 and Smith was named Fiesta Bowl MVP where he threw a career high of 342 yards and a pair of touchdowns.