The Year for Drafting CB

I have a thought on that. Smith is a player with mature technique and feel for the game. How much more upside is there to him?

 

I just watched a handful of 2021 and 2022 S. Carolina defense games to focus on Darius Rush, and it reminded me of another concern about Smith. He looked quicker and more physical to me in the 2021 games than the 2022 games (admittedly I can find more games from 2021 as well). I don’t know if he was playing through an injury in the 2022 games I watched (I didn’t see him at all in the 2022 Georgia game). Also, in neither year does he look like a true high-end athlete. He’s already a savvy player, and it may be a case of what you see now is what you’re going to get down the road, with less potential for improvement than the top guys.

To me he’s a plug and play Day 1 starter who will be solid in both man and zone coverage, but never be more than an average starter. JMO after RE-watching.

BTW, I’m iffy on Darius Rush. He has some impact plays downfield, but he also gets beat more than you’d like to see from a 5th year senior with his physical abilities. He also has very little impact on any plays that aren’t coming right at him. For example, when watching Witherspoon, it seemed like he was always flashing into the screen to support on plays all over the field. With Rush you almost never see those reactions in run support or tackling receivers after the catch. I think he could be a value pick in the 4th if he’s the second cornerback we take. If he’s the first… well he’d better be coached up.