They'd certainly have to get a little creative to make it work, which is why I add the caveat that Spags co-signs.

Would you take Hassan Reddick on a rookie deal? Because that's the kind of upside Smith has, and I think many of you would be surprised with how good he is in the run game and the guy did it in the SEC.

It's not like he's not been playing against guys a LOT heavier than him and stonewalling them. We need speed off the edge, we're not getting a guy who does it all at 31. We can get an edge setter R3 or 4 if needs be. If we want quick pressure off the edge it's realistically a guy like Smith or McDonald with that pick.

Like I said if it's another power DE type cool, fits the system, will get on the field earlier and more often. I'd be happy enough. I'd just prefer a guy who is lethal on obvious passing downs, even if that's their only role.

You don't take a situational pass rusher in the 1st and you sure as **** don't take one that's not very good at rushing the passer period.

It's a moot point. We're not going to draft him. I absolutely agree with everyone saying he's a 3-4 guy primarily. I still think he could work and i still think speed is something we need at DE, that there's a trade off, and that the trade off with Smith is less than people might imagine. But yeah, we're not picking him...Will McDonald it is.

It's not as much about size as it is about talent IMO. Nate Herbig is 3x the pass rusher Smith is and just as good of a LB. They are very similarly sized. If we want to go the route of a small pass rusher, yeah give me Herbig 7 days a week over Smith. And the bigger problem is that Herbig is being graded as a late 2nd to middle 3rd pick. Does playing for Georgia, who had way more supporting talent, trump playing for Wisconsin? I think not. Smith should be graded lower than Herbig. Just because he played for Georgia means jack and shit to me. If anything it makes me like him less because they come out so ill-prepared for the pros with regularity.

He had something like a 25% pass rush win rate. His sacks were not great but I don't get the idea he wasn't an effective rusher.

I could see Smith getting to 245lbs, I couldn't see it with Herbig. But that's pure conjecture I'll grant you. Herbig also has no tape where he has been effective against rhe run. Smith would be an outlier at his size, and you've got to think it doesn't work as well at the next level. But he can at least hang his hat on being very good at the college level. That's the remarkable thing for me, he wasn't OK he was good.

Very much disagree with you on Herbig against the run. He's solid against the run. He doesn't shove blockers back into the lap of the RB and make plays like that but he maintains excellent gap assignments, he funnels the action, he crashes down the line if left uncovered, and he makes the plays in space. He makes plays behind the line. Yeah he's a little light and yes he just puts his shoulder into the tackle far more than you like but if he's keeping contain and funneling it inside then that's probably good enough. He makes the big plays when he gets the opportunity. Smith doesn't make so many of those, win rates be damned.

Herbig has far better statistics than Smith in every category in 7 fewer career games and that didn't happen by accident. Herbig had a PRWR of 27.3% in 2021 and 23.9% in 2022. Making a case there for Smith is like arguing with a brick wall. Herbig was AP 3rd Team All-American in 2022. Smith has no such accolade. I feel like there's a lot of SEC bias going on with Nolan Smith and I'm not accusing you, more the media yappers.

It's a shame Herbig isn't 240 because he'd be a high 1st round pick. He's still 6'2" so if he can gain 10 pounds by the combine and show up at 237, that's what Haason Reddick was coming into the league. Reddick went 13th overall. I would absolutely not sleep on Herbig just yet. The kid was phenomenal. He has the best get-off at the snap in this class and he absolutely threatens the arc every time he rushes the passer.

Willie Gay and Leo Chenal are literally 20 pounds heavier and just as fast-and Chenal had excellent production rushing the passer his last season in Wisconsin. Chenal had like a 9.29 RAS score. That's a hell of an athlete.

This kid doesn't give you anything you don't already have on the roster, and gives up 20 pounds as well.

I mean it would be one thing if he was super productive, but he wasn't. So if we're literally talking stark athletics, Then move Chenal to the line on passing downs. At least he's closer to big enough. And use the first for someone else.

They very well ould use Chenal as a pass rushing end on obvious passing downs.

Today's CBS mock had us taking Wright in the first and Hall in the 2nd.

That's about as ideal of a scenario as you can get, right?

Umm yea. That's as good as it gets in terms of value and need.

It'll be interesting to see if he's treated as a tweener and drops as a result, or if a team just says screw it, we can bulk him and if not we'll find a role. I don't think he's anywhere near as good against the run as Smith so maybe we just agree to disagree on that, but I'd concede he does have possible versatility and if those PRWR stats are right, and I'm sure they are, fair enough, I stand corrected.

I like him in any case, no ides where he goes

This was what I was screaming for. He was very good, albeit clunky, doing it in college. I'd love to see him mixed into that more.

To be honest it's how I wanted us to use Chenal so it's a fair point.