On Saturday morning, 49ers All-Pro pass rusher Aldon Smith was found unresponsive in the front passenger seat of his pickup truck by a friend in Los Gatos. Less than an hour later, the former No. 7 overall NFL draft pick in 2011 was declared dead at San Jose's Good Samaritan Hospital. He was 36.

Smith was discovered by a friend, Amir Shirazi, who told the Chronicle that at first he thought Smith was just asleep. When Shirazi realized something was wrong, he called former 49ers running back Anthony Dixon to the scene. The two then proceeded to perform CPR on Smith until EMTs arrived.

No cause of death has been provided but Smith's tragic passing follows a tumultuous decade for the former 49er.

Following a dazzling debut for the 49ers that saw Smith honored as runner-up for Rookie of the Year in 2011, he went to set the storied franchise's single season record for sacks with 19.5 the following season. Sadly, Smith's subsequent story largely became one of substance abuse and behavioral issues that eventually led to multiple team suspensions and a staggering ten arrests.

Yet a source told the Chronicle that Smith was seen at the 49ers team facility as recently as last week, where he reportedly stopped by to visit with the new rookies during the early summer training window. Smith was also seen out delivering pizzas to local San Jose charity CHAM Deliverance Ministry in the hours before his death.

According to Shirazi, he found Smith unresponsive about an hour after the pair agreed to return to Shirazi's house on Saturday afternoon.

"He was perfectly fine an hour before," Shirazi told the Chronicle. "I came out and he was basically dead in my front seat. I'm just in shock."

In a statement, the San Francisco 49ers acknowledged the loss of the one-time All-Pro:

“We are devastated by the sudden and tragic passing of Aldon Smith,” the 49ers said in a statement. “Aldon’s undeniable talent and sheer dominance on the field were on display from the moment he joined our organization, having recorded one of the best rookie seasons the National Football League has seen. Beyond his excellence as a player, Aldon will be remembered for his infectious smile that lit up every room he walked into. Our entire organization sends its deepest condolences to the Smith family and all who knew and loved Aldon.”

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Image: Aldon Smith, #99, of the San Francisco 49ers reacts after making a tackle against the Chicago Bears at Candlestick Park on November 19, 2012 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)