"Underrated gem whose lateral and up field quickness on a near 6'7 frame is special but he can struggle through engagement at the poa"
Strengths:
Long, wiry edge with elite quickness and burst. Impressive short area quickness and can stop & start like a DB. Technically sound and uses hands well. Great wingspan.
Has a sturdy punch and can bull with leverage. High end motor and solid range. Drops comfortably in space. Showed out at senior week & pro day.
"Bruh" Baldy gushing over the attributes.
Weaknesses:
Gets upright and lacks ideal flexibility. Light in the pants, struggles thru engagement and gets bumped off course.
Overall:
Smith is long and lean with the frame to get bigger. In fact, he's put on as much as 20lbs in pre draft preparation but carried it well this post season. His lateral and upfield quickness on a near 6'7 frame is special.
While he's light in the pants on film, he's technically sound and uses leverage and power effectively. He punches up and puts in max effort at the poa but often just doesn't have the gas left to finish the play.
Smith consistently put in work senior week vs higher competition, playing heavier than he's ever been. He backed that by performing well at his pro day with impressive testing.
He's a developmental prospect owing to his competition level and rapid late weight gain, but his tools are prototypical for the edge. He's a sound bet to outplay his draft slotting.