Aldon Smith Charged with 3 Misdemeanors: Latest Details, Comments, Reaction

Oakland Raiders linebacker Aldon Smith has been charged with three misdemeanors stemming from his August arrest. 

KTVU News in Oakland tweeted out the charges filed against Smith by the Santa Clara County District Attorney:

According to Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle, Smith is scheduled to be arraigned on October 6. ESPN.com's Bill Williamson added that the maximum sentence Smith faces is two years and six months in county jail. 

Earlier in the day, the Raiders announced they had signed the 25-year-old to a contract after he spent the past four seasons across the bay with the San Francisco 49ers. 

On August 6, Smith was arrested by Santa Clara police for DUI, vandalism and hit and run. He was released by the 49ers the following day.

A former first-round pick, Smith's problems off the field have become more notable than what he's done on it. 

Year	Charge	Games Missed
June 2012	Three Misdemeanor Counts of Illegal Possession of an Assault Weapon	-
September 2013	Suspicion of DUI, Marijuana Possession	5 (Voluntarily Entered Rehab)
April 2014	Arrested and Detained at LAX for Making False Bomb Claim	9 (Violating NFL's Personal Conduct and Substance Abuse Policy)

While the NFL can suspend him for this latest incident, nothing has been announced by the league to this point, making him eligible to play in the Raiders' first game on Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals. 

Smith is undeniably talented, though his performance has dropped as his legal problems have gotten worse. He recorded 33.5 sacks in 2011-12, but he has 10.5 sacks in 18 games over the past two seasons. 

Being able to stay out of trouble will be critical for Smith, not just this season but if he hopes to have a long-term future in the NFL. He's gotten another chance from the Raiders, so despite these misdemeanor charges, there's an opportunity for him to prove his talent and maturity can meet in a positive way.