James McCoy Smith is an American former professional football player who was a defensive back for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NFL). He played high school football at Kearny High School in San Diego and college football for the Oregon Ducks. He was nicknamed "Yazoo" because he was born in Yazoo City, Mississippi. He was an All-American his senior year (1967), and was selected in the first round of the 1968 NFL/AFL draft. He was the first defensive back taken in the draft, and the twelfth player overall.