With a necessity for depth at cornerback to affix Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon, the Chicago Bears drafted Tyrique Stevenson within the second spherical and circled again for Minnesota’s Terell Smith in Round 5 at No. 165.
Conventional considering is Stevenson will get the primary shot to be a starter within the nickel bundle, however the Bears imagine Smith has upside and can compete to be within the combine.
“What’s special about him is he’s kind of made that steady ascent,” co-director of participant personnel Trey Koziol stated. “So after we have a look at drafting gamers, it’s like, can you continue to get extra out of them? Are they nonetheless on that developmental upswing? And that’s the place Terell actually stood out.
“He’s had some good, he’s had some bad, but it’s constantly gotten better. The senior year he showed a ton of improvement and he just kept getting better and better and then he went to the East-West Shrine game and that just kept getting better and better and better. And he obviously tested out really well at the combine and had a really nice pro day.”
Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck described Smith as a participant who continuously was pushing to enhance. Fleck spoke with the Tribune concerning the cornerback’s improvement and prospects for an expert profession. Here’s that interview, edited for readability.
Note: This is a part of a sequence of conversations with school place coaches of Bears draft picks.
Talk me by means of Terell’s profession arc in this system as he performed immediately as a freshman, had some accidents after which didn’t play till afterward.
After our first yr, we ended up being one of many youngest groups in America. We performed a ton of freshmen. Due to accidents he bought an opportunity to play as a freshman after which bought damage just a little bit, different guys have been just a little bit older. Brought in Benjamin St-Juste to play, who’s now with the Washington Commanders. T-Time was a monitor child in highschool and simply utterly devoted himself (to soccer).
After his freshman yr, and when he didn’t play his sophomore yr due to harm, he spent three years every single day — I’m not kidding on this — earlier than and after follow with our energy coach engaged on his hip mobility and adaptability. I imply each single day. After follow, 15 or 20 minutes simply on his stretching, flexibility, hip mobility as a result of that was one of many issues that held him again from taking part in his sophomore yr with the accidents. He turned it on, performed, then had a groin harm and overcame that and had a heck of a senior yr. You’re speaking a few man that actually devoted himself into making one thing that was perhaps a weak point right into a energy. You activate that movie now and also you don’t see a stiff participant in any respect.
If a participant will get labeled “stiff,” it may be actually exhausting for them to show that from a deficit right into a energy, proper?
There are two labels he had — “track kid” and “stiff.” Those are the 2 unfavourable labels he had popping out of highschool. But he was at all times robust. So we felt like these have been two issues that we may positively develop. He had pace and at that place you could have to have the ability to run. We felt like we may take that pace and develop it if he was prepared to place within the work. Terell was a younger man that put within the work. He’s a soccer participant, robust, and he’s extremely versatile, free hipped. Those are the 2 issues popping out of highschool of why lots of people most likely didn’t (recruit) him, and people are causes he wound up being drafted within the NFL within the fifth spherical.
In an ideal setting, what place will Smith be finest at within the NFL?
I believe outdoors. He’s bought good size. He can sort out rather well. He’s robust, he’s rangy. He can play into the boundary. He’s going to be actually good matching up with a number of greater receivers and he will probably be bodily with them. He does a very good job understanding house. He’s bought really feel for it. That at all times helps a nook.
How a lot work did he get on particular groups when he was in a reserve function?
He positively performed on particular groups, particularly early. Usually, our guys solely play one or two phases if they’re a starter, and T-Time did that all through his total profession. He’s such a workforce participant and he’s so versatile, and I’m not speaking about his mobility, he will probably be match. Big, lengthy, he can run, he’s bodily. He may play all 4 particular groups are going to suit him.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com