Chris Smith

[trashcan maN]

Mel Kiper has Chris Smith as the #5 DE on the board. Each of the past 3 years there have been at least 5 DEs taken in the 1st round. Would love to see Chris get taken in the 1st round! WPS

[OnTheHillHogFan]

He's a late 2nd or early 3rd round pick

[bennyl08]

He's a late 2nd or early 3rd round pick

I mostly agree with this. However, for the life of me, I can't figure out how several mocks have Dee Ford in the first round. They are very comparable in numbers, except Smith weights about 15 pounds heavier. The only difference is that Smith has longer arms, has more muscle, and ran 0.12 seconds slower in the forty. However, Indy is notorious for having a slow track, plus not sure if Auburn's pro-day results were hand timed or laser? Even laser timed, Smith would be about 0.05 faster at Fayetteville. If hand timed, then Chris Smith ran a 4.54, which is .05 faster than Ford.

[hawgmasta]

Chris Smith will at least be in the league for 3-5 years. Going to a solid place where he can work his way into the rotation it could be 5-8 years plus. Physically he has the build to take some punishment. I'm excited to see the kind of player he's going to be in 3 years.

I'd like to see the Vikings, 49ers or Cardinals take him.

[bennyl08]

I think Tampa Bay could be a good fit. They got Lovie Smith for a steal.

[Peter Porker]

I mostly agree with this. However, for the life of me, I can't figure out how several mocks have Dee Ford in the first round. They are very comparable in numbers, except Smith weights about 15 pounds heavier. The only difference is that Smith has longer arms, has more muscle, and ran 0.12 seconds slower in the forty. However, Indy is notorious for having a slow track, plus not sure if Auburn's pro-day results were hand timed or laser? Even laser timed, Smith would be about 0.05 faster at Fayetteville. If hand timed, then Chris Smith ran a 4.54, which is .05 faster than Ford.

You watch the senior bowl?

[ChitownHawg]

I think Tampa Bay could be a good fit. They got Lovie Smith for a steal.

Living in Chicago I can say Lovie is a lot like Phil Jackson. If you are a rookie then be prepared to sit on the bench. I cannot think of one rookie Lovie developed. They may be one, but I cannot think of one.

[immahog]

You watch the senior bowl?

yea he (dee ford) made himself a rich man in that game

[trashcan maN]

He's a late 2nd or early 3rd round pick

This is what I thought too, which is why it surprised me that Kiper had him #5 among DE. If he's the fifth or sixth DE to go, he'll go late 1st/early 2nd more than likely.

[ChitownHawg]

This is what I thought too, which is why it surprised me that Kiper had him #5 among DE. If he's the fifth or sixth DE to go, he'll go late 1st/early 2nd more than likely.

While he is officially a DE I wonder if the drop in rounds is because some are projecting he will switch positions to LB? Just a thought.

[HOGINTENNESSEE]

Crazy to think CBP never had a recruit here go in the 1 round. Heck Nutt even had multiple 1 rounds in the same draft.

[trashcan maN]

It looks like we're gonna have a homegrown, blue chip 5* DE in the 2016 class. It would sure help if we had back to back DEs go in the first couple of rounds.

[Turminator]

Living in Chicago I can say Lovie is a lot like Phil Jackson. If you are a rookie then be prepared to sit on the bench. I cannot think of one rookie Lovie developed. They may be one, but I cannot think of one.

I've been a bears fan for 38 years... I also am stumped trying to name a rookie he truly delveloped.  He and Angelo teamed up for some mind boggling drafts...  the string of first round busts was impressive.

[EastMemphisHog]

It looks like we're gonna have a homegrown, blue chip 5* DE in the 2016 class. It would sure help if we had back to back DEs go in the first couple of rounds.

If Flowers continues to improve and stays healthy, he should be a late 1st-rounder next year.

[Tony Sloprano]

I mostly agree with this. However, for the life of me, I can't figure out how several mocks have Dee Ford in the first round. They are very comparable in numbers, except Smith weights about 15 pounds heavier. The only difference is that Smith has longer arms, has more muscle, and ran 0.12 seconds slower in the forty. However, Indy is notorious for having a slow track, plus not sure if Auburn's pro-day results were hand timed or laser? Even laser timed, Smith would be about 0.05 faster at Fayetteville. If hand timed, then Chris Smith ran a 4.54, which is .05 faster than Ford.

There is a lot more to it than just numbers on a piece of paper.

[Tony Sloprano]

Crazy to think CBP never had a recruit here go in the 1 round. Heck Nutt even had multiple 1 rounds in the same draft.

Not that crazy to some of us who were vocal in our disappointment with recruiting through the years. Even back then though, there were many many pumpers who told us that recruiting rankings didn't matter and that the coaches were professionals and knew what they were doing.

Sound familiar ?

[bennyl08]

There is a lot more to it than just numbers on a piece of paper.

Like production on the field? He has him beat there too (Ford had slightly better numbers senior season, but Smith has been productive his entire career).

I'm arguing Dee is a bad player. I just see about a 2 round difference in where most people are placing these two, and I don't see why there is such a perceived talent gap.

[ChitownHawg]

I've been a bears fan for 38 years... I also am stumped trying to name a rookie he truly delveloped.  He and Angelo teamed up for some mind boggling drafts...  the string of first round busts was impressive.

Lovie helped them get out of the cellar, but he was not going to take them all the way. Funny how he wanted personnel control in Tampa, yet Angelo gave him the players he wanted. I am Lovie will do the same in Tampa as he did here. Make them respectable but never truly compete for a championship. Or if he does he will do just as he did here - "Rex is our quarterback. Plain and simple". Yep Rex was the answer! 

[Razorhawg09]

If Flowers continues to improve and stays healthy, he should be a late 1st-rounder next year.

Meh that's not likely at all.

[hawgmasta]

Meh that's not likely at all.

Going in the first round isn't very likely for anyone because of the sheer volume of college foot all players that have talent.  That being said; Flowers appears to be a preseason first team all-sec DE and if he gets double digit sacks and TFL's with a strong combine showing I see no reason it couldn't happen.

He's gonna end up being a bit bigger and more of a classic 4-3 DE than Smith is. I think thats Smith's biggest problem, he's a tweener. A superb physical specimen but not quite big enough for a prototypical DE and not quick enough to cover well for a prototypical OLB. It would be interesting if somebody gave Smith a shot at MLB. He's doesn't need to be super fast just quick enough for run support and some coverage and being 6-1 260 or so is perfect NFL MLB size.