Roquan Smith rookie season statistical comparison
How did Roquan Smith’s rookie season compare to other top ten picks
Roquan Smith was a rarity being a top ten pick at the linebacker position. Although two rookies followed him the year after, it is not often that a linebacker goes that high, and it typically ensures that the team has a lot of faith in that player. Before Roquan Smith was Luke Kuechly in 2012, so if anything Smith helped set the path for players such as Devin Bush and Devin White going so high.
Linebackers drafted in the top 10 since 2000 include Kuechly, Rolando McClain, Jerod Mayo, A.J. Hawk, Ernie Sims, LaVar Arrington, and Brian Urlacher.
Ernie Sims was an undersized linebacker arguably ahead of his time, and Rolando McClain had off of the field issues control his career, but the rest of the list shows to be strong. How did Smith compare to these players as a rookie?
Rookie season performance
Below is a look at each players rookie season. Roquan Smith and Ernie Sims are in a different table because Pro Football refernence can only fit six players in a table. Nonetheless, Smith had a rookie season that compared favorably to every name.
| Tackles | Fumbles | Def Interceptions | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rk | Player | From | To | Solo ▼ | Ast | Sk | FF | FR | Yds | TD | Int | Yds | TD |
| 1 | Luke Kuechly | 2012 | 2012 | 6.4 | 3.9 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 1.4 | 0.0 |
| 2 | Brian Urlacher* | 2000 | 2000 | 6.3 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 1.2 | 0.0 |
| 3 | Jerod Mayo | 2008 | 2008 | 6.1 | 1.8 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| 4 | A.J. Hawk | 2006 | 2006 | 5.1 | 2.3 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 1.9 | 0.0 |
| 5 | Rolando McClain | 2010 | 2010 | 3.9 | 1.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.7 | 0.0 |
| 6 | LaVar Arrington | 2000 | 2000 | 2.7 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Tackles | Fumbles | Def Interceptions | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rk | Player | From | To | Solo ▼ | Ast | Sk | FF | FR | Yds | TD | Int | Yds | TD |
| 1 | Roquan Smith | 2018 | 2018 | 5.6 | 2.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 1.4 | 0.0 |
| 2 | Ernie Sims | 2006 | 2006 | 5.1 | 2.7 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 5/21/2019.
Kuechly, Urlacher and Mayo averaged more solo tackles per game, but that puts Roquan Smith right in the middle ahead of Hawk, Sims, McClain and Arrington.
However, only Urlacher averaged more sacks per game as rookie, and he had as many interceptions as McClain, Hawk, Urlacher and Kuechly. Statistically speaking, Smith fits right in with his peers.
2018 rookies
The 2018 draft class is also herladed itself as a strong class. Of course, Leigton Vander Esch and Darius Leonard broke out as Rookie of the Year candidates over Smith. Still, Smith did show better than. Tremaine Edmunds and Rashaan Evans in year one.
| Tackles | Fumbles | Def Interceptions | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rk | Player | From | To | Solo ▼ | Ast | Sk | FF | FR | Yds | TD | Int | Yds | TD |
| 1 | Darius Leonard | 2018 | 2018 | 7.4 | 3.5 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 2.5 | 0.0 |
| 2 | Leighton Vander Esch | 2018 | 2018 | 6.4 | 2.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 3.5 | 0.0 |
| 3 | Roquan Smith | 2018 | 2018 | 5.6 | 2.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 1.4 | 0.0 |
| 4 | Tremaine Edmunds | 2018 | 2018 | 5.3 | 2.7 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 1.3 | 0.0 |
| 5 | Rashaan Evans | 2018 | 2018 | 2.2 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 5/21/2019.
Smith did have more sacks than Vander Esch and the same interception numbers.
Second year expectations?
For most of these linebackers, the second season was for setting themselves apart. In year two Luke Kuechly, LaVar Arrington and Brian Urlacher took steps forward, while Jerod Mayo plateaued and McClain and Hawk took steps back.
| Receiving | Tackles | Fumbles | Def Interceptions | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rk | Player | From | To | Rec | Yds | TD | Solo ▼ | Ast | Sk | FF | FR | Yds | TD | Int | Yds | TD |
| 1 | Luke Kuechly | 2013 | 2013 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 6.0 | 4.4 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 2.1 | 0.0 |
| 2 | LaVar Arrington | 2001 | 2001 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 5.9 | 1.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 8.6 | 0.1 |
| 3 | Brian Urlacher* | 2001 | 2001 | 0.1 | 1.7 | 0.1 | 5.6 | 1.7 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 6.3 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 3.8 | 0.0 |
| 4 | Jerod Mayo | 2009 | 2009 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 5.4 | 2.5 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| 5 | Rolando McClain | 2011 | 2011 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 5.3 | 1.4 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| 6 | A.J. Hawk | 2007 | 2007 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4.9 | 1.7 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.6 | 0.0 |
Provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 5/21/2019.
What is interesting to note is that Mayo, Kuechly, and Urlacher all saw a slight decline in solo tackles, but
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saw an increase in assisted tackles, as well as plays outside of tackles.
Arrington ascended in every facet, but Kuechly, and Urlacher saw increased interception totals.
For Roquan Smith, this could almost be expected as well. Next season he is likely to increase in role and take on playcalling duties. This will make him less of a freelancer, and but will keep him involved in group tackle situations, which could explain a dip in solos and rise in assists. However, with the increase in responsibility also came the instincts to make more plays away from the ball. Smith had a strong year in coverage with five pass breakups, and Brian Urlacher went from five to eight in year two. Can we see similar from Roquan Smith
Conclusion
Roquan Smith is on the right path. He is not setting the world on fire, but is in good company with other top ten picks posting similar rookie seasons. Smith will get an increased role that may only show up scattered throughout the box score, but his play calling impact and role in the center of the defense should show a player ascending.