2018 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Roquan Smith

2018 NFL Draft Scouting Reports - Choose Player 2018 NFL Draft Scouting Reports - Home Adonis Alexander, CB, Virginia Tech Jaire Alexander, CB, Louisville Josh Allen, QB, Wyoming Mark Andrews, TE, Oklahoma Dorance Armstrong, DE, Kansas Marcel Ateman, WR, Oklahoma State Anthony Averett, CB, Alabama Kalen Ballage, RB, Arizona State Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State Sam Beal, CB, Western Michigan Andrew Brown, DE, Virginia Orlando Brown, OT, Oklahoma Taven Bryan, DT, Florida Lorenzo Carter, LB, Georgia D.J. Chark, WR, LSU Geron Christian, OT, Louisville Bradley Chubb, DE, N.C. State Nick Chubb, RB, Georgia Simmie Cobbs, WR, Indiana Tyrell Crosby, OT, Oregon James Daniels, C, Iowa Sam Darnold, QB, USC Marcus Davenport, DE, UTSA Carlton Davis, CB, Auburn Duke Dawson, CB, Florida Tremaine Edmunds, LB, Virginia Tech Duke Ejiofor, DE, Wake Forest Rashaan Evans, LB, Alabama Luke Falk, QB, Washington State Minkah Fitzpatrick, S, Alabama Mike Gesicki, TE, Penn State Dallas Goedert, TE, South Dakota State Rasheem Green, DT, USC Derrius Guice, RB, LSU DaeSean Hamilton, WR, Penn State Da'Shawn Hand, DE, Alabama Ronnie Harrison, S, Alabama Will Hernandez, G, UTEP Sam Hubbard, DE, Ohio State Mike Hughes, CB, Central Florida Hayden Hurst, TE, South Carolina Maurice Hurst, DT, Michigan Donte Jackson, CB, LSU Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville Joshua Jackson, CB, Iowa Derwin James, S, Florida State Malik Jefferson, LB, Texas Kerryon Johnson, RB, Auburn Ronald Jones, RB, USC Arden Key, DE, LSU Christian Kirk, WR, Texas A&M Micah Kiser, LB, Virginia Harold Landry, DE, Boston College Darius Leonard, LB, South Carolina State Iman Marshall, CB, USC Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma Tarvarus McFadden, CB, Florida State Mike McGlinchey, OT, Notre Dame Sony Michel, RB, Georgia Anthony Miller, WR, Memphis Kolton Miller, OT, UCLA D.J. Moore, WR, Maryland Nick Nelson, CB, Wisconsin Quenton Nelson, G, Notre Dame Isaiah Oliver, CB, Colorado Brian O'Neill, OT, Pittsburgh Da'Ron Payne, DT, Alabama Rashaad Penny, RB, San Diego State Harrison Phillips, DT, Stanford Billy Price, C, Ohio State Frank Ragnow, C, Arkansas Martinas Rankin, OT, Mississippi State Justin Reid, S, Stanford Calvin Ridley, WR, Alabama Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA Mason Rudolph, QB, Oklahoma State Jaylen Samuels, RB, N.C. State Tim Settle, DT, Virginia Tech Braden Smith, G, Auburn Roquan Smith, LB, Georgia Equanimeous St. Brown, WR, Notre Dame Courtland Sutton, WR, SMU Chad Thomas, DE, Miami Trenton Thompson, DT, Georgia Leighton Vander Esch, LB, Boise State Vita Vea, DT, Washington Akrum Wadley, RB, Iowa Denzel Ward, CB, Ohio State James Washington, WR, Oklahoma State Christian Wilkins, DT, Clemson Connor Williams, OT, Texas Isaiah Wynn, G, Georgia

Roquan Smith, 6-1/236 Linebacker Georgia

Roquan Smith Scouting Report
By Charlie Campbell

Strengths:

Very good instincts

Excellent run defender

Sideline-to-sideline speed

Good tackler

Hard hitter

Quick

Diagnosis skills

Read-and-react skills

Fits a 4-3 or 3-4 defense

Always around the ball

Very fast to the flat

Superb closing speed

Rangy

Gifted pass-coverage linebacker

Impressive man-coverage ability against tight ends and running backs

Can drop into zone coverage

Ball skills

Durable

Athletic upside

Weaknesses:

Undersized

Could have issues defending downhill runs straight at him

Could have issues getting off blocks in the NFL

May not have the weight to play middle linebacker as a pro

Summary: Back at the start of the 2017 season during fall camp, scouting sources were raving about Smith. They see him as a future three-down starter who can be an impactful player against the run and the pass in the NFL. Smith has been compared to the Falcons’ Deion Jones and the Buccaneers’ Lavonte David. Early in his NFL career, Smith could be on that kind of contributor for his NFL team.

In 2016, Smith totaled 95 tackles with five tackles for a loss, one pass breakup and two forced fumbles. He went on to amass 137 tackles with 6.5 sacks, 11.5 tackles for a loss, one forced fumble and two passes batted in 2017. At the NFL Scouting Combine, the junior showed his elite speed with a 4.51-second time in the 40-yard dash. That is a quality time for an offensive skill position player, and a phenomenal one for a linebacker.

There is a lot to like about Smith for the NFL. He is a tremendous linebacker with excellent instincts and superb speed. Smith combines those to become a heat-seeking missile who tracks down ball-carriers all over the field. Smith is very fast to the flat and shuts down perimeter rushing attacks. He also is quick to read his keys and fire to the right spot to make tackles. With his speed, instincts, and diagnosis skills, Smith is a dangerous run defender.



The key for any non-pass-rushing linebacker to be a first-round pick is his ability to excel in pass coverage. Smith fits that criteria as he is a capable defender at helping to limit passing attacks. In coverage, he has the speed, athleticism and agility to be an option in man against running backs or tight ends. Smith also gets good depth in zone and is sound to be in the right spot when covering up receivers who come into his territory. In the pass rush, Smith is a weapon as he is a dangerous blitzer who closes on the quarterback in an instant. Quickly in his NFL career, Smith should be a three-down starter who never leaves the field.

The negatives for Smith include that he played in the 220s at Georgia. The good news is he is into the 230s while maintaing his speed, which is much better for the NFL. Still, Smith could have problems with runs coming straight at him and getting off blocks as he can get covered up in the ground game at times. To maximize his effectiveness, he needs to be protected from taking on a lot of blocks. As a pro, Smith projects to being a starter in a 4-3 defense as a Will – weakside – linebacker. In a 3-4, he could play on the inside, but should have a bigger Mike – middle – linebacker next to him to do the take-on jobs.

With Smith’s well-rounded game and his excellent tape from the 2017 season, he should be a first-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.





Player Comparison: Lavonte David. The closest thing to Smith in the NFL is Bucs standout linebacker Lavonte David. Like David, Smith is a speed demon who flies around the field making tackles in the ground game while also being good in pass coverage. They each have size issues, but make up for it with great instincts and big-play ability. David was a second-round pick, and Smith also will be an early-rounder. Other similar players to Smith are Falcons linebackers Deion Jones and Duke Riley, but Smith is a better player and prospect than they were coming out of LSU.

NFL Matches: Oakland, Miami, Green Bay, Dallas, Minnesota, Pittsburgh, Tennessee, New Orleans, New England and Philadelphia

There are a lot of teams that could be a fit for Smith in the 2018 NFL Draft. The Raiders have to improve the middle of their defense and the front seven. Smith would be an upgrade to their rush defense and pass coverage.

The Dolphins released Lawrence Timmons and need to improve their linebackers. Green Bay also could consider a linebacker upgrade. Dallas could use more linebacker talent, and Smith could give the Cowboys a long-term complement to go with Jaylon Smith.

The Vikings could consider an upgrade at Will – weakside – linebacker next to Erik Kendricks. Smith, Kendricks and Anthony Barr would give Minnesota a very talented trio.

The Steelers could consider adding a linebacker after losing Lawrence Timmons to free agency last offseason and Ryan Shazier going down with a serious injury that will cost him at least the 2018 season. If Smith made it to the Steelers, he would be a no-brainer for Pittsburgh.

An inside linebacker is a need for the Titans, and Smith would upgrade the speed in the middle of the Tennessee defense. Linebacker is one of the biggest needs for the Saints, and if Smith gets to their pick, it would be shocking to see them pass on him.

New England could use more linebacker talent next to Dont’a Hightower. Philadelphia has a good linebacker in Jordan Hicks, but Hicks has major durability issues. Smith could interest the Eagles to upgrade the middle of their defense.

2018 NFL Draft Scouting Reports - Choose Player 2018 NFL Draft Scouting Reports - Home Adonis Alexander, CB, Virginia Tech Jaire Alexander, CB, Louisville Josh Allen, QB, Wyoming Mark Andrews, TE, Oklahoma Dorance Armstrong, DE, Kansas Marcel Ateman, WR, Oklahoma State Anthony Averett, CB, Alabama Kalen Ballage, RB, Arizona State Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State Sam Beal, CB, Western Michigan Andrew Brown, DE, Virginia Orlando Brown, OT, Oklahoma Taven Bryan, DT, Florida Lorenzo Carter, LB, Georgia D.J. Chark, WR, LSU Geron Christian, OT, Louisville Bradley Chubb, DE, N.C. State Nick Chubb, RB, Georgia Simmie Cobbs, WR, Indiana Tyrell Crosby, OT, Oregon James Daniels, C, Iowa Sam Darnold, QB, USC Marcus Davenport, DE, UTSA Carlton Davis, CB, Auburn Duke Dawson, CB, Florida Tremaine Edmunds, LB, Virginia Tech Duke Ejiofor, DE, Wake Forest Rashaan Evans, LB, Alabama Luke Falk, QB, Washington State Minkah Fitzpatrick, S, Alabama Mike Gesicki, TE, Penn State Dallas Goedert, TE, South Dakota State Rasheem Green, DT, USC Derrius Guice, RB, LSU DaeSean Hamilton, WR, Penn State Da'Shawn Hand, DE, Alabama Ronnie Harrison, S, Alabama Will Hernandez, G, UTEP Sam Hubbard, DE, Ohio State Mike Hughes, CB, Central Florida Hayden Hurst, TE, South Carolina Maurice Hurst, DT, Michigan Donte Jackson, CB, LSU Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville Joshua Jackson, CB, Iowa Derwin James, S, Florida State Malik Jefferson, LB, Texas Kerryon Johnson, RB, Auburn Ronald Jones, RB, USC Arden Key, DE, LSU Christian Kirk, WR, Texas A&M Micah Kiser, LB, Virginia Harold Landry, DE, Boston College Darius Leonard, LB, South Carolina State Iman Marshall, CB, USC Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma Tarvarus McFadden, CB, Florida State Mike McGlinchey, OT, Notre Dame Sony Michel, RB, Georgia Anthony Miller, WR, Memphis Kolton Miller, OT, UCLA D.J. Moore, WR, Maryland Nick Nelson, CB, Wisconsin Quenton Nelson, G, Notre Dame Isaiah Oliver, CB, Colorado Brian O'Neill, OT, Pittsburgh Da'Ron Payne, DT, Alabama Rashaad Penny, RB, San Diego State Harrison Phillips, DT, Stanford Billy Price, C, Ohio State Frank Ragnow, C, Arkansas Martinas Rankin, OT, Mississippi State Justin Reid, S, Stanford Calvin Ridley, WR, Alabama Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA Mason Rudolph, QB, Oklahoma State Jaylen Samuels, RB, N.C. State Tim Settle, DT, Virginia Tech Braden Smith, G, Auburn Roquan Smith, LB, Georgia Equanimeous St. Brown, WR, Notre Dame Courtland Sutton, WR, SMU Chad Thomas, DE, Miami Trenton Thompson, DT, Georgia Leighton Vander Esch, LB, Boise State Vita Vea, DT, Washington Akrum Wadley, RB, Iowa Denzel Ward, CB, Ohio State James Washington, WR, Oklahoma State Christian Wilkins, DT, Clemson Connor Williams, OT, Texas Isaiah Wynn, G, Georgia

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