Matty's Big Board Prospect Countdown: 12!

Hey folks, the Super Bowl is behind us and it's time to focus on the next big event and that is the all powerful and mighty draft, which has the ability to take a team from the bottom of the barrel and turn them into a playoff caliber team (ex. Dolphins and Falcons). What I plan on doing is twice a week until draft weekend, I'll be counting down my top 25 prospects, discuss their strengths, weaknesses, overall impact in the NFL and potential landing spot. So, without further delay, I bring you the player who ranked number 12...

12. Sean Smith, CB/S Utah Utes

2008 Season Stats:
45 tackles, 5 INTs and 9 Pass Def.

Career Stats:
79 tackles, 9 INTs and 16 Pass Def.

Personal Stats:
6'3" 214 lbs. JR

Strengths:

Sean Smith is an athletic freak, he has a great build both height and size wise and he carries it very well. He has very long arms and big hands and amazing ball skills that help him in making interceptions and swatting away passes, he has great straight line speed and agility. He's a tough player who won't shy away from contact as he can shed blockers and make a tackle on a running back trying to gain the corner. He is physical at the line of scrimmage and has great recognition skills in the open field and reacts well to the ball when it is thrown. He is supremely confident in his abilities and he has a ton of potential.

Weaknesses:

He's not quite a corner, he's not quite a safety, he's a football player with a little combination of the two aforementioned positions. He has tight hips and lacks the fluidity that you would expect from an athletic shut down corners. He can get beat over the top as he doesn't have that second gear to close in on a receiver once he is beaten. He tends to get over aggressive and only himself to get tricked or beaten because his instincts aren't as highly tuned as they could be and he is very raw with limited experience.

Overall:

I think Sean Smith projects as a cornerback in the NFL for a team that employs a cover two or zone scheme and allows him some help over the top. I think a team like the Colts, Steelers, Bucs, Vikings and various teams of the like would find his skills incredibly useful as he can be physical against a team's number one and make big plays against the pass but his raw ability won't hinder them as much when he has safety help over top. I think that is where he best projects and when he gets coached up some more and he gets into an NFL training program to loosen his hips he could eventually become a force and even though I am incredibly high on Smith, I doubt he goes top 15 come draft day, but as a prospect I think he is incredible and will give a team a lot of versatility and skill.



Projected NFL Destination:

With the 14th selection in the NFL Draft, the New Orleans Saints select...









There you have it folks, be sure to tune in next week for Prospects #11 and #10!

Utah Pro Day

Per NFL Prospect analyst Gil Brandt:

The University of Utah pro day was held today in Salt Lake City, with 21 teams and 13 players in attendance. Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator Ron Meeks was among the attendees, as were defensive backfield coaches from the Miami Dolphins and Detroit Lions and a defensive line coach from the Seattle Seahawks.

The pro day was held indoors on FieldTurf.

Many eyes were on CB Sean Smith and DE Paul Kruger, though Brice McCain might have stolen the show with his 40-yard dash times, which were faster than any cornerback at the NFL combine.

McCain, who measured in at 5-foot-9 and 181 pounds, ran times of 4.33 and 4.34 seconds in the 40-yard dash. He had a 36½ -inch vertical and a 10-foot-3 broad jump. He did not do any lifting, but he looked very good in position drills.

Nicholls State’s Lardarius Webb turned in the fastest time for cornerbacks at the combine at 4.46 seconds.

Smith measured in at 6-3½ and 209 pounds. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.47 and 4.49 seconds. He had a 32-inch vertical and a 9-5 broad jump. He participated in position drills but did not do any shuttle drills, save for the 60-yard shuttle.

Kruger, at 6-4½ and 260 pounds, ran 40 times of 4.80 and 4.79. He had a 32-inch vertical leap and a 9-1 broad jump, and he did 22 repetitions of 225 pounds on the bench press. He did not participate in shuttle drills.

K Louie Sakoda and QB Brian Johnson were among other notable players working out.

Sakoda measured in at 5-8 3/4 and 174 pounds. He kicked off for interested teams but did not do any drills.

Johnson, at 6-0 5/8 and 211 pounds, ran the 40 in 4.88 and 4.89 seconds. He had a 28½-inch vertical and an 8-6 broad jump. He ran the three-cone drill in 4.41 seconds and the 20-yard shuttle in 7.09 seconds.