Andre Smith..Would You Take Him At 13?

[44ever]

First of all our #13 must be a OT IMO My choice in order.

1)Eugene Monroe
2)Jason Smith
3)Michael Oher
4)Andre Smith - I think you have to take a chance here. He has been to dominate to over look him because of the combine issue. If not for this he would be my #3 choice.
But I would take Andre over any other available position if he's all that's left.
Andre Smith - ALABAMA - NFL DraftTracker Player Card - ESPN

[T.O.Killa]

He is an animal. I would take him. He would be able to play right tackle now.

[Lotus]

No way should we take Andre Smith. NO WAY. He is too much of a head case and I think the presence of Bugel, Samuels, etc., will not change that. Who on earth doesn't work out at the Combine because "I'm out of shape"? NFL players must be significantly self-motivating. What if he mentally doesn't show up for Dallas week because he similarly is unmotivated as he was for the Combine?

I say if Oher, Monroe, and Jason Smith are gone at #13, we take Beatty or Britton at OT, or trade down and take one of them later. Or take the best LB or center available or take Duke Robinson at guard.

Anyone but Andre Smith.

[The Goat]

If we draft anything but an OT, LB or maybe a DE w/ our first pick i think there would be an f'ing mutiny and the FO would be the laughing stock of the NFL... it ain't gonna go down that way.

[SouperMeister]

Originally Posted by The Goat

If we draft anything but an OT, LB or maybe a DE w/ our first pick i think there would be an f'ing mutiny and the FO would be the laughing stock of the NFL... it ain't gonna go down that way.

After using a 2nd round pick to select a backup TE, I wouldn't put anything past the FO, although the early returns of the FA season look good. If we could somehow end up with a talented OT, or Orakpo or Maualuga, I would be happy. Bottom line, we will probably won't land more than one guy in this draft who will start on day 1. That leaves us weak at either SLB or RT.

[SC Skins Fan]

Let's look at the tape rather than just basing our analysis on the fact that a bunch of "mock" drafts had Smith as a top five pick prior to his combine meltdown. Apart from the horrible music at the beginning, this clip shows a good number of plays from the 2008 season. I don't like Smith's footwork, he looks slow (and I'm not talking about 40 time), he will struggle with elite speed in the NFL (sound familiar), he is not from this tape a LT prospect (which is fine for the Redskins) and I wonder if he will ever turn into a LT. He gets his nose in front of his toes more times than I would like, even in this limited film and he does not display as much power as I thought I would see. Overall his technique and his footwork makes me think he is more of a guard (which would be fine, but do you want to spend the 13th pick to get Randy Thomas' replacement?) He is not as good an athlete as Michael Oher. Just from this tape I would not take him at 13 (and that is before even considering his off-field issues).

Andre Smith:


Michael Oher:

[KLHJ2]

Originally Posted by SC Skins Fan

Let's look at the tape rather than just basing our analysis on the fact that a bunch of "mock" drafts had Smith as a top five pick prior to his combine meltdown. Apart from the horrible music at the beginning, this clip shows a good number of plays from the 2008 season. I don't like Smith's footwork, he looks slow (and I'm not talking about 40 time), he will struggle with elite speed in the NFL (sound familiar), he is not from this tape a LT prospect (which is fine for the Redskins) and I wonder if he will ever turn into a LT. He gets his nose in front of his toes more times than I would like, even in this limited film and he does not display as much power as I thought I would see. Overall his technique and his footwork makes me think he is more of a guard (which would be fine, but do you want to spend the 13th pick to get Randy Thomas' replacement?) He is not as good an athlete as Michael Oher. Just from this tape I would not take him at 13 (and that is before even considering his off-field issues).

From the tooks of it, Oher is doing a better job with the outside pass rush, but that is because he takes a cheat step to the outside. That manuever works fine in college, but in the pros it will make him vulnerable to the inside move. Smith plays the rusher honestly and at times can be beat with elite speed to the outside, but a little bit better footwork will help him there. In all honesty Smith seems to have more talent.

[SC Skins Fan]

Originally Posted by Angry

From the tooks of it, Oher is doing a better job with the outside pass rush, but that is because he takes a cheat step to the outside. That manuever works fine in college, but in the pros it will make him vulnerable to the inside move. Smith plays the rusher honestly and at times can be beat with elite speed to the outside, but a little bit better footwork will help him there. In all honesty Smith seems to have more talent.

I meant footwork rather than technique (though I wouldn't call Smith's technique stellar either). Oher has quicker feet and I think he looks like a better prospect from those films anyway. I don't see anything 'elite' about Smith. Oher looks like a better athlete to me. I'm just a fan, though, and can't claim any great expertise.

[vallin21]

Originally Posted by SC Skins Fan

I meant footwork rather than technique (though I wouldn't call Smith's technique stellar either). Oher has quicker feet and I think he looks like a better prospect from those films anyway. I don't see anything 'elite' about Smith. Oher looks like a better athlete to me. I'm just a fan, though, and can't claim any great expertise.

I agree. If you ask me whose the better prospect I'd say Smith, but if you ask me who'd be the better pro Oher would lock down a OT spot for 10 years, plus Smith's character and work ethic are spotty which makes me believe he might coast when he gets to the NFL.

[Nflnick11]

well keep in mind ones a junior and the others a senior, Both could play guard or tackle so thats a plus...i really dont care who we take, cause they're both good to me and will be playing RT for us A smith had more tape to wow us with, plus he's a junior so id take him over a senior whos got less tape to show us, and wow us with...but again i really don't care who we take, they're both good

[Ruhskins]

I think if Andre Smith slides to #13, let's go ahead an take him. If he has the skills and talent, let's take him. His debacle at the combine seems to be a mistake and he apologized. People act like he committed a crime, he's learning very early that as a figure in the public eye, he needs to think very careful about his actions. People tend to forget that this is a 21 year old kid. I've worked with college kids for 8 years, and well sometimes they are not going to make the best decisions. Plus, a lot of these kids have a lot of people hovering over them giving them good and bad advice since they are going to be worth a lot of money.

If we take this kid, Buges will be able to bring out the best in him and Samuels will be a great mentor for him. If he has the talent to start at RT, I say let's go for it. Regardless of what happens in what's left of free agency, I think this team needs to take an offensive lineman with that #13. While I think getting a top o-lineman in free agency would have been nice, I think the team will be better off getting a kid like Smith or any of the other o-lineman in the draft.

Here's an interview with Smith in regards to his issues.

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[John Denny]

My problem with Smith is, he's had a couple months to prepare for the combine didn't. The fact that he was suspended for the Sugar Bowl would've been swept under the rug and viewed as a mistake made by a young man had he come prepared. In my opinion, he just doesn't project someone who's very motivated.
He had the potential to make Jake Long money and probably won't because he decided to sit on his fat ass prior to the biggest job interview he'll ever have. So what do you expect him to do week to week? Do you think he'll prepare? Will he study game tapes? Try to discover tendencies in his opponents? Become a gym rat?
I hope for his sake he gets his priorities straight and has a good pro day otherwise, he'll fall deep into the first round. Look how far R. Moss fell.

[Ruhskins]

Originally Posted by John Denny

My problem with Smith is, he's had a couple months to prepare for the combine didn't. The fact that he was suspended for the Sugar Bowl would've been swept under the rug and viewed as a mistake made by a young man had he come prepared. In my opinion, he just doesn't project someone who's very motivated.
He had the potential to make Jake Long money and probably won't because he decided to sit on his fat ass prior to the biggest job interview he'll ever have. So what do you expect him to do week to week? Do you think he'll prepare? Will he study game tapes? Try to discover tendencies in his opponents? Become a gym rat?
I hope for his sake he gets his priorities straight and has a good pro day otherwise, he'll fall deep into the first round. Look how far R. Moss fell.

Well I think you bring valid points, however...

- Many of the top college players tend to put more emphasis on their school's pro day than the combine. To my understanding, Smith didn't plan to workout at the combine (personally, I think they should make everyone workout at the combine, but that's another discussion).

- His suspension from the Sugar Bowl had to do with him dealing with an agent other than his own (according to Wikipedia). Granted, a big game in his college career, but it's not like he got drunk, committed a crime, or did anything disorderly.

- I do fault him for not being in shape, but this may also have to do with the notion of "your pro day at Alabama is more important than the combine".

[an23dy]

The FO have said repeatedly they are putting more emphasis on the interviews so I would say that I wouldn't expect them to draft A Smith bc everyone has said his interviews were terrible, but you never know what they're really going to do.

[John Denny]

Pro day is important but so is the combine. Why even show up if you're going to give a half-ass effort? It just doesn't reflect someone who is motivated. How motivated will he be when he gets a fat paycheck?