BobDigital
Pro Bowl Player
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Irv Smith Jr. TE – Alabama
Smith is generally considered in the top 3 by most people so I was hopeful before really studying his tape. He's a good blocker. Not elite but good. At times he finishes with some nastiness which I like. His top end speed is pretty fast for his size. Sadly the combine besides his 40 time left a lot to be desired. His vertical jump was average. His broad jump was below average. His 3 cone time was near the bottom. His 20 yard shuffle was only slightly above average and his 60 yard shuffle was the worst. So not a good showing. After seeing the tape I need to agree with those numbers. He lacks suddenness and explosion off the snap. His quickness isn't good. He's good attacking the seam and getting vertical but besides that he doesn't offer much in the passing game IMO.
In Alabama he was the 4th option in the passing game and that really shows up on tape. He made a few nice catches and a couple nice plays going over the top. Besides that he mostly feasted on easy catches when he sat in a wide open zone or had the play opened up for him by the other, better, play makers. When he gets the ball in his hands he uses his power to gain extra yards, but I saw him be careless with the football way too often.
The bottom line to me is he is serviceable as a safety valve option and if you can get him 1 on 1 vs a LB he can make the other team pay. But I don't see the upside here for him developing as an all around player. I think as an athlete he lacks too much in certain areas. He's a guy who I think will succeed doing a few things if put in the right spots at the next level. He's a good blocker who is a niche pass catcher in certain situations and match ups. That isn't the worst thing in the world . To me he's a good back up to your starting TE who can do the dirty work and still be a threat to make a play if the other team doesn't respect him. Grade 5.1
Smith is generally considered in the top 3 by most people so I was hopeful before really studying his tape. He's a good blocker. Not elite but good. At times he finishes with some nastiness which I like. His top end speed is pretty fast for his size. Sadly the combine besides his 40 time left a lot to be desired. His vertical jump was average. His broad jump was below average. His 3 cone time was near the bottom. His 20 yard shuffle was only slightly above average and his 60 yard shuffle was the worst. So not a good showing. After seeing the tape I need to agree with those numbers. He lacks suddenness and explosion off the snap. His quickness isn't good. He's good attacking the seam and getting vertical but besides that he doesn't offer much in the passing game IMO.
In Alabama he was the 4th option in the passing game and that really shows up on tape. He made a few nice catches and a couple nice plays going over the top. Besides that he mostly feasted on easy catches when he sat in a wide open zone or had the play opened up for him by the other, better, play makers. When he gets the ball in his hands he uses his power to gain extra yards, but I saw him be careless with the football way too often.
The bottom line to me is he is serviceable as a safety valve option and if you can get him 1 on 1 vs a LB he can make the other team pay. But I don't see the upside here for him developing as an all around player. I think as an athlete he lacks too much in certain areas. He's a guy who I think will succeed doing a few things if put in the right spots at the next level. He's a good blocker who is a niche pass catcher in certain situations and match ups. That isn't the worst thing in the world . To me he's a good back up to your starting TE who can do the dirty work and still be a threat to make a play if the other team doesn't respect him. Grade 5.1
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