The quiet man

• By SHELDON MICKLES
• Advocate sportswriter
• Published: Jul 28, 2008 - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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JACKSON, Miss. — There is nothing pretentious about New Orleans Saints defensive end Will Smith.

Even though he’s arguably the Saints’ best defender and recently signed a seven-year, $63 million contract that made him the third-highest paid end in the NFL, Smith simply wants to be known for what he does on the field — not how much money he makes.

“Everybody asks me about the money,” Smith, the Saints’ first-round draft pick in 2004, said with a slight smile. “I was a first-round draft pick; the money didn’t change me then and it’s not going to change me now.”

Smith, a 6-foot-3, 282-pounder, received about $20 million in bonuses on the rookie contract he received. A solid and relentless pass rusher, he’s led the Saints in sacks the last three seasons and already has collected 33 1/2 in his career.

His sack total includes a career-high 10 1/2 in his breakout season of 2006 when he was chosen to the Pro Bowl. The former Ohio State All-American has started 43 of 82 games in his career and has collected 265 tackles with 12 forced fumbles and six recoveries.

And Smith has done it all rather quietly.

“I guess you could say I’m quiet,” Smith said Saturday after a hot, steamy training camp practice at Millsaps College. “I just want to stay myself. I’m not a flashy guy. I’m not a flamboyant guy. There’s nothing big about me. I just stay quiet and do my job.”

That gives him an opportunity to do what he’s paid to do as the Saints’ highest-paid — and best — defender.

“I have high expectations of myself,” he said. “I want to be the best guy every time I step on the field. The contract thing doesn’t have anything to do with it, that’s the business part of the game.

“I just strive to be one of the best,” Smith added. “I know that people have high expectations of me, but not as high as I have for myself.

“I don’t want to just be the best guy on my team, I want to be the best guy in the National Football League,” he said. “I want to be the best pass rusher and run stopper.”

New Saints defensive line coach Ed Orgeron, who coached NFL stars Warren Sapp, Cortez Kennedy and Russell Maryland in college, has no problem with that. He’s certainly sold on Smith’s abilities and his value to the defensive unit.

“Will is very powerful, he has tremendous upper and lower body strength and quick feet,” said Orgeron. “He’s reliable and has all the characteristics coaches talk about. He’s also very knowledgeable, so I’m looking for a great year from him.”