John Kenneth Small (November 20, 1946 - December 10, 2012 ) was an American football linebacker with the Atlanta Falcons and the Detroit Lions in the National Football League (NFL). Small was born in Lumberton, North Carolina. He was the first round draft choice number 12 from the Citadel to the Atlanta Falcons. He played 3 seasons with the Atlanta Falcons and 2 seasons with the Detroit Lions. He was drafted in the first round with the twelfth overall pick in the 1970 NFL Draft.