Defensive end Lawrence Edward "Tody Smith" was born in Orange, Texas. He is the younger brother of Bubba Smith, and both played high school football for their dad, W.R. Smith, at Charlton-Pollard in Beaumont, Texas. Smith acquired his nickname in a junior high school Spanish class. Apparently Tody came from toro (bull); - - he was the largest boy in his class. Smith attended Michigan State and Southern California. At USC he was named All-American his junior year, 1969. He played only four games as a senior because of an ankle injury.

The Cowboys felt his disappointing senior season was the only reason Smith remained available when Dallas drafted 25th in the first round at the 1971 selections. Smith was the Cowboy's number one choice. He missed most of the 1971 training camp before signing and spent the first seven games of the season on the team's taxi squad. When he joined the 40-man roster he quickly convinced the Dallas coaches he had a future in the NFL. After the season, coach Tom Landry seemed convinced Smith had the capability to start in 1972. Although he had surgery during the off-season on an injured knee, Tody was ready to go in 1972, playing in the Super Bowl that year. He was traded to the Houston Oilers with wide receiver Billy Parks in 1973, in exchange for two draft choices. He stayed with the club until the 1976 season. Smith's final pro season was 1976, spent playing for the Buffalo Bills.

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