Aldon Smith has died. The former NFL linebacker, who rose from Missouri to the San Francisco 49ers as the seventh overall pick, leaves behind a complex legacy in football.
Aldon Smith, the former NFL standout, has died at age 36. The 49ers picked him seventh overall in 2011 and he became one of the league’s most explosive edge players, setting franchise records early before off-field issues curtailed his career. The team has offered condolences. The cause of death has not been disclosed.