Lawrence Edward “Tody” Smith was born on December 24, 1948, in Beaumont, Texas. The younger brother of NFL great Charles “Bubba” Smith, Tody grew up surrounded by football. Both brothers played high school football under their father, W. R. Smith, at Charlton-Pollard High School, where Tody earned prep All-American honors and gained recognition as one of the most dominant defensive linemen in Texas high school history.

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Smith earned his distinctive nickname, “Tody,” in a junior high Spanish class. His teacher called him “Toro,” meaning bull, because of his size and strength, but the nickname evolved into “Tody,” which stuck with him throughout his career.

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Smith began his collegiate career at Michigan State University, where he played alongside his brother Bubba for one season. He later transferred to the University of Southern California (USC), becoming a key part of USC’s powerhouse defensive line known as the “Wild Bunch,” which also included future NFL players Al Cowlings, Jimmy Gunn, and Charlie Weaver. In 1969, Smith earned All-American honors, helping lead the Trojans to a 10–0–1 record and a Rose Bowl victory over Michigan.

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Smith’s senior season in 1970 was cut short due to an ankle injury, limiting him to just four games. However, he made history that same year as one of five African American starters for USC in the landmark game against the all-white University of Alabama team. USC’s decisive 42–21 victory in Birmingham on September 12, 1970, is credited by many historians as a pivotal moment in college football integration, influencing legendary Alabama coach Bear Bryant to begin recruiting Black athletes.

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Despite his abbreviated senior year, Smith’s immense potential kept him on NFL draft boards. In the 1971 NFL Draft, the Dallas Cowboys selected him in the first round (25th overall). He missed most of training camp during a contract holdout and began the season on the taxi squad but was activated midseason. His physicality and technique quickly impressed the Dallas coaching staff, and he earned a spot on the team that went on to win Super Bowl VI, defeating the Miami Dolphins 24–3.

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Following the 1972 season, the Cowboys traded Smith and wide receiver Billy Parks to the Houston Oilers in exchange for two draft picks, one of which was later used to select future All-Pro tight end Billy Joe Dupree. Smith played for the Oilers from 1973 to 1975, starting in multiple games and anchoring the defensive front. He finished his professional career with the Buffalo Bills in 1976, appearing in 11 games that season before retiring from the NFL.

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After football, Smith explored various business ventures and occasionally appeared in television and film projects, including small roles in the 1970s. He passed away on December 29, 1999, at the age of 51. Tody Smith remains remembered as a trailblazer on and off the field—part of a historic USC team that changed college football forever and a fierce competitor who left his mark on both the college and professional game.