Roquan Smith
Over the last few years, Georgia has had success sending linebackers to the NFL. Guys like Alec Ogletree, Jarvis Jones, Ramik Wilson, and the Bears very own Leonard Floyd have gone on to become solid contributors for their teams.
Roquan Smith could be next Georgia Linebacker prospect to continue that tradition.
While both Edmunds and Smith have been regular starters for their respective teams, there is one advantage that Smith holds over Edmunds. Smith is the more experienced, complete linebacker prospect.
He’s very athletic, is a smart player, and seems to be oozing with potential. Another thing to like about Smith is his speed. On tape, he consistently would fly from sideline to sideline, making plays.
Even though Smith is the more experienced player, there are a few red flags alongside his name. First, he’s listed at roughly 6’1” and about 236 lbs. Some teams could view him as an inside linebacker, however, he’s a bit too undersized to play that position at the NFL level for now. Second, when teams ran the ball straight at him, Smith had trouble defending those runs.
While most would argue that drafting Smith would be another issue for the Bears given him being a bit undersized, one has to keep in mind that in the NFL, teams draft players to win long-term. It may take time, but with the right coaching and proper training, Smith could go on to have a successful NFL Career.
When the Bears are on the clock at number eight, Smith will likely be there, meaning the Bears won’t have to give up any picks to trade up for him. In a few years, a linebacker duo consisting of Leonard Floyd and Roquan Smith could quickly become the face of the Bears defense for years to come.