The old philosophical draft debate has always been best player available (BPA) or need for your team. Did Ryan Pace admit to going with BPA strategy?
There is always the debate between BPA and need. Of course, in most situations. team can wiggle their way into making the best player available a player at a specific need.
However, when it comes to Roquan Smith, Ryan Pace was quick to admit that he may have passed up bigger needs at that spot to take the better overall player.
Pace told Dan Pompei of the Athletic
"“There were probably more glaring needs on the roster but he just checked so many boxes in addition to being a great player. He can be the bell cow on defense for us for a long time. He has all those [leadership] traits. And he is self-aware enough to let it happen naturally over time. Everybody you talk to at Georgia raves about those traits in addition to being a great player. Every great defense has to have that centerpiece. We feel he can be that for us.”"
The fact of the matter is that you can argue that this was a need on the team. Pace said. bell cow on the defense for a long time. Leader. Centerpiece.
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That is not a position but it is something that every team needs. Whether it be Earl Thomas at safety, Sean Lee at linebacker or J.J. Watt on the line, every team needs their voice.
Roquan Smith provides a fill to that specific need.
On top of that, it is not like Nick Kwiatkoski should be locked in as a longterm starter either. Sure, the team also added Joel Iyiegbuniwe and the linebacker room looks much better than the edge rusher group.
Still, Smith was a big enough need, and was clearly the best player available. It is always a blend of the two that creates the pick and Smith, like Pace said, checked every box.