LUMBERTON — Kion Smith became the first Robeson County native to sign an NFL contract in a decade when he was signed by the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted free agent over the weekend.

The former Fayetteville State offensive lineman will report to the team on May 12. He will enter offseason workouts, and eventually training camp, looking to earn a spot on the team’s 53-man roster.

“I can’t wait to get to work,” Smith said in a statement released by Fayetteville State.

Smith, a former walk-on, has been a blocking cornerstone for the FSU offensive line since the day he stepped foot on campus, starting every game as a freshman. He helped lead the Broncos to three consecutive appearances in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association’s championship game, and earned first-team All-CIAA honors his junior season.

“I am proud of Kion and all of his accomplishments”, Broncos coach Richard Hayes said in a press release. “He was one of the first athletes we signed when I started the program. He came to a walk-on tryout in 2016 after signing day and has been continuously impressive since then. He earned an immediate scholarship and has been effective as a three-year starter. We kind of knew he was going to be in the situation that he is in now. He has all the tools.”

Smith is the first Robeson County native to sign with an NFL team since Lumberton’s Hutch Eckerson, who spent time with four NFL teams from 2011-13.

Smith played in a pair of collegiate all-star games, the Hula and Tropical bowls, and participated in a pro day at North Carolina State in the leadup to the NFL Draft, which was held last week. He was not selected in the Draft but was quickly signed by Atlanta.

Smith played football and threw shot put and discus for the Pirates’ track team during his time at Lumberton High School.