Alabama's Bryce Young Named 2022 Sugar Bowl MVP After Win vs. Kansas State
Dec 31, 2022
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - DECEMBER 31: Bryce Young #9 of the Alabama Crimson Tide reacts after throwing a touchdown pass during the fourth quarter of the Allstate Sugar Bowl against the Kansas State Wildcats at Caesars Superdome on December 31, 2022 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
Bryce Young was crowned the Sugar Bowl MVP as No. 5 Alabama cruised to a 45-20 victory over Kansas State on Saturday at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.
MVP
Bryce Young from @AlabamaFTBL is the #SugarBowl Miller-Digby MVP after recording 5️⃣ passing touchdowns and 321 yards. The five passing scores marks 2️⃣nd in Sugar Bowl history. pic.twitter.com/Yd8RRKXUNB
In what's widely expected to be his final college game, Young went 15-of-21 for 321 yards and five touchdowns through the air.
The Crimson Tide fell behind 10-0 in the first quarter following an 88-yard touchdown run by Wildcats running back Deuce Vaughn. The Alabama offense subsequently woke up, dropping 35 unanswered points.
Young was the driving factor behind that turnaround.
The turning point came after Kansas State turned the ball over on downs on the Alabama 2-yard line inside the final minute of the first half.
Young completed passes of 28, 22 and 12 yards as his team took a 21-10 lead into halftime. He carved open the Kansas State secondary with surgical precision.
The 2021 Heisman Trophy winner didn't take long to get Alabama on the board in the second half, either. He floated a 32-yard pass in the end zone to Ja'Corey Brooks as the lead swelled to 18 points.
In terms of his 2023 NFL draft stock, Young didn't stand to gain too much by suiting up in the Sugar Bowl. He's the B/R Scouting Department's highest-ranked quarterback and the eighth-ranked prospect overall in this class.
With such an impressive performance, the junior might have firmly planted himself as the top quarterback on the board.
The first pick this year should be viewed like the first pick of the 2020 draft
It was a lock Joe Burrow no matter what
This year should be a lock Bryce Young no matter what
Ohio State's C.J. Stroud has quite the task ahead to match Young's showing Saturday night in the Peach Bowl against reigning national champion Georgia.
Bryce Young Hyped as Top Pick by Twitter as Alabama Beats Kansas State in Sugar Bowl
Dec 31, 2022
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - DECEMBER 31: Bryce Young #9 of the Alabama Crimson Tide reacts after throwing for a touchdown against the Kansas State Wildcats during the Allstate Sugar Bowl at Caesars Superdome on December 31, 2022 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
Bryce Young couldn't call it a career with Alabama without enjoying one more prolific performance.
The 2021 Heisman Trophy winner went 15-of-21 for 321 yards and five touchdowns as the fifth-ranked Crimson Tide beat No. 9 Kansas State 45-20 in the Sugar Bowl on Saturday.
As you'd expect, Young was singled out for praise on social media. He put on quite the show for prospective suitors in the NFL.
I get the reasons why some might do it, but if I'm an NFL GM, I can't imagine taking another quarterback this year before Bryce Young.
Bryce Young has been great at football his entire career in the SEC, where the players are very big. I think he will probably be great at football in the NFL, where the players are also very big.
So much of QB evaluation happens after the season—gives us time to catch up on tape, to interview players, to see them outside their bubble—but I can’t imagine anyone topping Bryce Young as QB1.
Through it was only the second quarter, Alabama's final scoring drive of the first half might have been the game's turning point.
An incomplete pass by Kansas State quarterback Will Howard turned the ball over on downs at the Crimson Tide's 2-yard line. The Wildcats had nothing to show for a possession that ate 10:30 off the clock.
Meanwhile, Young needed only 51 seconds to march the Alabama offense 98 yards down the field. He hit Jermaine Burton for a 12-yard touchdown pass to put his team up 21-10.
Within the first two minutes of the second half, the Tide's lead had swelled to 25 points thanks to a pair of quick-fire touchdowns. Kansas State had no chance from there.
Any season that doesn't result in a national championship is considered to be a disappointment by many Alabama fans. They'll enjoy Saturday's victory, but the team's emphatic performance might lead even more to wonder what could've been were it not for that Nov. 5 loss to LSU.
If history is any indication, the Crimson Tide will be right back in the hunt for the College Football Playoff in 2023. Young will leave a massive void in the offense, though.
Barring a major addition through the transfer portal, the quarterback battle will likely come down to Jalen Milroe and Ty Simpson. Milroe filled in for an injured Young earlier this year, while Simpson went 4-of-5 for 35 yards in his limited action.
Whomever wins the job will have huge shoes to fill.
For the 15th straight year, Alabama has collected 10-plus victories and dropped no more than three games. The x-x win/loss over Kansas State in the Sugar Bowl...
Joe Milton Amazes CFB Twitter with Arm as Tennessee Beats Clemson in Orange Bowl
Dec 31, 2022
Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton III prepares to throw a pass during the first half of the team's Orange Bowl NCAA college football game against Clemson, Friday, Dec. 30, 2022, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton III and his rocket arm guided the No. 6 Volunteers to a 31-14 win over the No. 7 Clemson Tigers in the Orange Bowl on Friday at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.
Milton completed 19 of 28 passes for 251 yards and three touchdowns. His first score went to wide receiver Bru McCoy for 16 yards.
The Vols' next touchdown came via a two-yard run by Jabari Small in the second quarter, but Milton set up the score with a 50-yard pass to Squirrel White.
The Tigers made it a one-score game at 21-14 with 10:01 remaining in the fourth quarter, but Milton responded on the following drive with a 46-yard touchdown lob to Ramel Keyton, who got behind the Clemson defense for the pitch-and-catch.
The Vols defense shut down Clemson from there, and a 32-yard field goal by Chase McGrath with 3:07 remaining closed the scoring on the evening.
The 2022 campaign ended up being Tennessee's best season since 2001, when the Vols went 11-2, won the Citrus Bowl and finished fourth in the Associated Press poll. This team also went 11-2 and could very well earn a Top Five AP finish.
The Orange Bowl was an especially impressive ending to the campaign considering that star quarterback Hendon Hooker (32 total touchdowns, two interceptions) was out with a torn ACL suffered Nov. 19 against South Carolina.
Milton has one year of eligibility left, and he's in line to be Tennessee's starter in 2023.
The Volunteers open next season on Sept. 2 against the Virginia Cavaliers.
Eyabi Okie NFL Draft 2023: Scouting Report for Michigan Edge
Dec 30, 2022
ANN ARBOR, MI - SEPTEMBER 03: Michigan Wolverines defensive end Eyabi Anoma (18) wraps his arms around Colorado State Rams quarterback Clay Millen (11) during the second quarter of a non-conference college football game between the Colorado State Rams and the Michigan Wolverines on September 3, 2022 at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Scott W. Grau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
HEIGHT: 6'5"
WEIGHT: 244
HAND: TBD
ARM: TBD
WINGSPAN: TBD
40-YARD DASH: TBD
3-CONE: TBD
SHUTTLE: TBD
VERTICAL: TBD
BROAD: TBD
POSITIVES
– Impressive get-off with his quick reaction to the snap and good acceleration off the line of scrimmage; he can put pressure on offensive tackles vertically as a pass-rusher.
– Uses head/shoulder fakes during the stem phase of a rush to help set up his moves.
– He has the change of direction and quickness to develop an inside stick move if his use of his hands improves.
– Keeps his legs pumping through contact when bull-rushing or turning speed to power to collapse the pocket against weaker tackles.
– Has shown impressive strength as a tackler by bringing running backs and quarterbacks down with one arm.
NEGATIVES
– Lean frame, needs to add more size and functional strength when taking on blocks to hold his ground better versus one-on-one blocks from offensive linemen.
– Poor use of his hands as a run defender and pass-rusher; he'll get caught with his hands by his waist and exposes his chest, making getting off blocks and defeating the hands in pass rush extremely difficult.
– Needs a better pass-rushing plan throughout the game. For example, he'll try a ghost rush without setting it up by winning with a few one-arm stab moves, making the ghost rush less effective.
– Struggles to stay on balance and fight through chip blocks.
– Primarily a situational pass-rusher at Michigan and UT Martin.
– On his fourth team in five years, dismissed from Alabama and Houston.
– Dismissed from Alabama reportedly for tardiness, skipping class, clashing with teammates and insubordination and was dismissed from Houston for "some of the same issues," according to Matt Zenitz of On3 Sports; left UT Martin on good terms
– 10 career starts
– 2021 Honors: OVC All-Newcomer Team, All-OVC Third Team (Phil Steele)
– 2018 Honors: SEC All-Freshman Team
– Had 46 sacks in last two years of high school
– Averaged 11.6 points and 9.5 rebounds per game in basketball during the 2015-16 season
OVERALL
Before even talking about football or what he can do on the field, Eyabi Okie (formerly Anoma) will have to answer questions about what happened at Alabama and Houston. He's said his issues at those two stops had to do with maturity, and to his credit, he's stayed out of trouble since leaving the Cougars.
On the field, Okie has shown off a few of the traits that made him a top-five recruit, as he's clearly a good athlete, most notably with his impressive get-off/acceleration. He could be an effective pass-rusher in the NFL, but his lack of success as a run defender is concerning.
Both Michigan and UT Martin used him primarily as a situational pass-rusher, which is surprising for a player who was once considered one of the top recruits in the country. He's just not strong enough to hold up at the point of attack against the run, and that coupled with his poor use of his hands makes getting off blocks a challenge.
Also, while the Baltimore native did rack up six sacks for the Skyhawks, he didn't dominate at the FCS level as one might expect. And it's concerning that he didn't take over the starting role at Michigan when Mike Morris went down at the end of the regular season.
All of that being said, he has enough traits and a good enough resume to still be draftable for an odd-front team that is looking for a standup outside linebacker and/or a third-down pass-rusher toward the end of Day 3.
O'Cyrus Torrence NFL Draft 2023: Scouting Report for Florida IOL
Dec 30, 2022
GAINESVILLE, FL - OCTOBER 08: Florida Gators offensive lineman O'Cyrus Torrence (54) during the game between the Missouri Tigers and the Florida Gators on October 8, 2022 at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at Florida Field in Gainesville, Fl. (Photo by David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
HEIGHT: 6'5"
WEIGHT: 330
HAND: 11 1/4"
ARM: 33 7/8"
WINGSPAN: TBD
40-YARD DASH: 5.31
3-CONE: TBD
SHUTTLE: 4.81
VERTICAL: 23.5"
BROAD: 8'5"
POSITIVES
— Massive frame and build with good length and a wide base to engulf defenders.
— Very good play strength to reestablish the line of scrimmage in the run game and anchor in pass-protection.
— Excels in the power-run game, uprooting defensive tackles on down blocks and double-teams as the post and drive man, routinely creating vertical and lateral displacement.
— Uses his frame, length and power to create cutback lanes in the zone-run game by covering up and widening defenders further than they want to go.
— Reliable processing skills to key, diagnose and handle basic line games and stunts.
— Eats the bull rush and can anchor quickly when squared up against power rushes.
— Plays with a nasty demeanor and consistently looks to finish defenders throughout games.
NEGATIVES
— Tends to lean and not keep his head out of blocks when isolated against sub-package rushers rather than maintain proper posture and patience, leaving him vulnerable to losing quickly.
— Can be a tick late releasing off combo blocks, causing him to be tardy to pick up quick-trigger linebackers.
— Shows mediocre agility on the move and struggles to adjust his track when necessary, leaving him susceptible to missing his target in space on the second level and on pulls.
2022 STATISTICS
— 11 starts at right guard
NOTES
— Named AP first-team All-American, becoming the first Gator offensive lineman to achieve the distinction since Mike Pearson in 2001.
— Former 3-star prospect out of St. Helena College and Career Academy in Greensburg, Louisiana
— Started 35 games over three seasons at Louisiana before transferring to Florida in 2022. Finished his career with 46 starts
— First true freshman offensive lineman to start at Louisiana since 2004
— First-team All-Sun Belt in 2021
— First-team All-SEC in 2022
— Never allowed a sack during his college career (over 3,000 snaps)
— Decided to skip his team's appearance in the Las Vegas Bowl to prepare for the draft
— Invited and accepted his invite to the 2022 Senior Bowl
OVERALL
O'Cyrus Torrence is a four-year starter inside Billy Napier's multiple-run scheme with 46 career starts inside at guard during his time at Louisiana (2019-2021) and Florida (2022). He has a massive, hulking build with a thick midsection, solid arm length and massive hands.
Torrence wins using a combination of sheer size, a strong center of gravity and a high-level ability to generate and absorb force in the run and pass game. He is an adept gap run-blocker who excels covering up defensive tackles, resetting the line of scrimmage and creating displacement vertically and laterally on down, base and double-team blocks.
Torrence has the necessary blend of power to create instant movement and uproot defenders when needed, with the strength to strain, sustain and steer them out of rush lanes. He flashes the balance and body control to absorb contact on the move when he catches defenders square down the midline of his frame, and he has the grip strength to stay attached against shed attempts. However, he will get top-heavy, leave his feet behind and lunge at fast-flowing, twitchy defenders that work across his face.
Torrence does a nice job staying inside-out on pass-rushers, showing the patience to maximize his size and not get overaggressive with his hands. That forces rushers to work around or through his frame.
Torrence has firm, powerful strikes and does a nice job relying on his inside hand to widen rushers. He also has the invaluable ability of bracing through his core and anchoring quickly to stymie the bull rush. He's a quick processor with alert eyes to anticipate line games and stunts while being a force of nature when uncovered, routinely caving in adjacent rushers to clear the pocket.
The one area of concern is against high-level 3-techniques and sub-package rushers that can get him isolated with wide alignments and make him play in space. That negates his strength and power.
Overall, Torrence has starter-level size, play strength and power, with the right demeanor to be a potential impact starter at guard in most schemes. Ideally, he would plug into a run and play-action focused offense that incorporates a healthy mix of gap concepts to suit what he does best and maximize his physical traits and skill set.
Cam Smith NFL Draft 2023: Scouting Report for South Carolina CB
Dec 30, 2022
COLUMBIA, SC - SEPTEMBER 03: South Carolina Gamecocks defensive back Cam Smith (9) turns and runs with Georgia State Panthers wide receiver Robert Lewis (14) during a football game between the Georgia State Panthers and the South Carolina Gamecocks. (Photo by Charles Brock/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
HEIGHT: 6'1"
WEIGHT: 180
HAND: 9 1/8"
ARM: 31 5/8"
WINGSPAN: TBD
40-YARD DASH: 4.43
3-CONE: TBD
SHUTTLE: TBD
VERTICAL: 38"
BROAD: 11'2"
POSITIVES
— Has very good length. Bends well while staying low in stance.
— Shows a smooth and controlled pedal with fluid hips to flip and run.
— Has very good reaction out of breaks with great closing speed when the ball is in the air.
— Gets his head around quickly to locate the ball when in phase and has very good ball skills and timing to disrupt the catch.
— Physical player who does a good job of setting the edge and is a willing tackler who gets the ball-carrier down.
NEGATIVES
— Doesn't always trust his eyes when breaking. Footwork can get wide at times, causing him to jump into break.
— Inconsistent with sinking of hips out of breaks. Can come off to be lazy with technique at times, allowing separation at the top of routes.
— Can be too handsy downfield at times. Often uses a slingshot to get back in phase, which is called multiple times.
2022 STATISTICS
— 11 GM, 27 TOT, 1 TFL, 6 PBU, 1 INT
NOTES
— DOB: Dec. 21, 2000
— 2021 All-SEC second team
— 19 games started
OVERALL
Cam Smith is a long-armed athlete with a lean frame, with the ability to add more weight. He's a lockdown defender who can play in a zone scheme but excels in man coverage. Within the schemes, Smith has shown himself to play from both press and off alignment. Although he has played a majority of his snaps from the open shuffle technique, he has demonstrated a smooth pedal, quick transitions and fluid hips to open and run.
A long strider, Smith has the speed to run with most receivers, although he can fall a step or two behind some of the more electric players he has matched up against. He has good short-area quickness but can give up some ground out of his breaks due to slower transitions. When out of his breaks, Smith has displayed a very good burst and closing speed with the ball in the air. He has instincts to locate and attack the ball while also showing great timing to break up passes. Though he has aligned in the slot at times, he is best when out wide.
When playing the run, Smith has good aggressiveness and physicality, especially when taking on blocks. He uses his hands to set the edge while also disengaging from blocks. Though he is a willing tackler who comes up to support the run, he tends to ankle-bite and dive at the legs of ball-carriers without wrapping up. Due to this style, he has missed a few tackles this season.
Ultimately, Smith is an exceptional athlete who is regarded as one of the best man cover guys in this draft. His inconsistency in tackling will be one of the biggest knocks against him. With that said, he will be one of the earlier cornerbacks selected, with a chance to compete early for a starting job.
BJ Ojulari NFL Draft 2023: Scouting Report for LSU EDGE
Dec 30, 2022
BATON ROUGE, LA - SEPTEMBER 17: LSU Tigers defensive end BJ Ojulari (18) celebrates after a sack during a game between the LSU Tigers and the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on September 17, 2022. (Photo by John Korduner/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
HEIGHT: 6'2"
WEIGHT: 248
HAND: 10 1/2"
ARM: 34 1/4"
WINGSPAN: TBD
40-YARD DASH: TBD
3-CONE: 7.57
SHUTTLE: TBD
VERTICAL: 33.5"
BROAD: 10'6"
POSITIVES
— Accelerates off the ball well and has quick run-pass transitions versus play action.
— Sets up his pass-rushing moves well during the stem phase by using a skip/hesitation step or stemming to the inside to set up an outside move and vice versa.
— Has a wide array of finesse moves to win around the edge like a cross chop, arm over and inside or outside stick moves.
— Solid at turning speed to power with a one-arm stab move; he can collapse the pocket against offensive tackles with a weaker base.
— Impressive change of direction, agility and quickness to be an effective looper on line games.
— Good bend to take an efficient path to the quarterback.
— Physical at the point of attack against the run and has solid strength and hand placement to help set the edge versus outside zone; also is hard to reach with his agility.
— Against down blocks, he gets his hands on the offensive linemen to disrupt their path to the second level.
— Recognizes and gets under pullers as the spill player in run fits.
— Has shown flashes of using his quickness to defeat blocks and is solid at engaging with offensive linemen and working around the block to escape without conceding too much ground.
— Snap-to-whistle type of player who takes good angles in pursuit and can factor into gang tackles down the field.
NEGATIVES
— Struggles with consistency and accuracy with his use of hands as a pass-rusher; he'll often miss with his initial chop or needs to finish with a violent rip to get the offensive lineman off him and get a clean win.
— He'll lose contain against scrambling or running quarterbacks because he struggles to break down in the backfield and doesn't bring his feet with him when tackling.
— Lacks the strength to lock out offensive tackles as a run defender; he moves his feet backward and concedes ground to get extension instead of displacing the blocker.
— Will struggle to hold his ground against base blocks in the pros.
— Has a habit of stopping his feet on contact.
— Could afford to add some size and strength to help with his power moves as a pass-rusher and with holding up against the run.
— Brother, Azeez, played at Georgia and was a second-round pick of the New York Giants
— 2022 honors: awarded LSU's coveted No. 18 jersey; first-team All-SEC; two-time SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week
— 2021 honors: one-time SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week
— 2020 honors: one-time SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week
OVERALL
BJ Ojulari went to LSU to forge his own path and break away from Azeez's shadow, but he'll end up on a similar journey as one of the best pass-rushers in this year's draft class.
An underrated aspect of the LSU product's game is that he varies his pass-rushing plan based on the opponent and has enough tools in his toolset to do so. For example, against Tennessee and Darnell Wright, Ojulari worked the edges more since Wright has a good anchor, but against Ole Miss, he relied more on turning speed to power against the Rebels' weaker tackles.
If he can improve his use of hands on his finesse moves and add some strength to be more effective when bull-rushing, Ojulari will be a dangerous pass-rusher in the pros. However, his effectiveness against the run is holding his draft stock back.
While the Tiger is effective against reach blocks/outside zone, on base blocks he concedes too much ground and will struggle to hold up at the point of attack against NFL tackles. Adding some mass will help there too, but he is very reliant on working around blocks right now, which is a risky play style.
Schematically, Ojulari might be limited to a stand-up outside linebacker role in odd fronts. He's just not big and strong enough to put his hand in the ground as a defensive end in even fronts right now. But if a team is looking for immediate pass-rushing help and is willing to be patient with him against the run, he's worth a mid-to-late first-round pick.
Nolan Smith NFL Draft 2023: Scouting Report for Georgia Edge
Dec 30, 2022
ATHENS, GA - OCTOBER 8: Robby Ashford #9 of the Auburn Tigers moves away from pressure by Nolan Smith #4 of the Georgia Bulldogs during a game between Auburn Tigers and Georgia Bulldogs at Sanford Stadium on October 8, 2022 in Athens, Georgia. (Photo by Steve Limentani/ISI Photos/Getty Images)
HEIGHT: 6'2"
WEIGHT: 238
HAND: 9"
ARM: 32 5/8"
WINGSPAN: TBD
40-YARD DASH: 4.39
3-CONE: TBD
SHUTTLE: TBD
VERTICAL: 41.5"
BROAD: 10'8"
POSITIVES
— On passing downs, he times up the snap well and has good acceleration off the ball to win with speed.
— Works to get to square during the stem phase of a rush to give himself a two-way go and has a nice hesitation/skip move to win around the edge.
— Impressive change of direction and quickness to win with inside and outside stick moves, especially if he can be more consistent with his use of hands. He did get more accurate with his hands from year-to-year, showing growth in that area.
— Good bend to turn a tight corner and take an efficient path to the quarterback after winning around the edge.
— When slanting against the run, he covers so much ground laterally that he doesn't have to tip it with pre-snap alignment. He throws off the offensive lineman's angle while simultaneously dipping his shoulder to reduce the surface area to block, getting the lineman off-balance so he can get penetration.
— Physical at the point of attack and has pop in his hands to get extension and shed blocks from offensive tackles fairly easily. He's violent when shedding and has shown flashes of using his quickness to defeat blocks, too.
— Can set the edge versus outside zone or as the force player against pullers on power and counter.
— Takes on blocks with a wide base and is stronger than his 235-pound frame would suggest to hold his ground versus offensive tackles.
— Form tackler, good pad level, wraps up and runs his feet through contact. He's not going to miss many tackles.
NEGATIVES
— His get-off is much slower and more deliberate on running downs, which makes it more difficult for him to win around the edge if the offense does pass and leads to a slower run-pass transition versus play action.
— Doesn't have a ton of power behind his bull rush and doesn't work to get on an edge to collapse the pocket against offensive tackles.
— Needs to be more consistent with the accuracy of his hand swipes when starting pass-rush moves.
— Not very effective in line games as the looper or penetrator. He could afford to push vertical more on the tackle to help sell the game.
— Could afford to add some weight to help him hold ground against base blocks from the bigger and elite NFL offensive tackles.
— Didn't look comfortable dropping into coverage. He'd often cover grass in zone coverage and would struggle to stay in phase versus tight ends in man.
— Injuries: 2021 (elbow, missed one game), 2022 (torn pec, season-ending surgery and missed every game after Week 9)
— Arrested for driving with a suspended license and speeding through a construction zone (misdemeanor) in January 2022, completed pre-trail diversion program in lieu of formal conviction
— 2021 Honors: Two-time SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Week (Weeks 3 and 9)
— 2019 Honors: Georgia's Co-Defensive Newcomer of the Year
OVERALL
For someone who is only listed at 235 pounds, Nolan Smith is a lot stronger than you'd think and is surprisingly a better run defender than pass-rusher. He gets extension against offensive linemen pretty easily and will occasionally have them falling on their faces with how violent he is when shedding.
Smith might have a tougher time holding up against the bigger and more physical offensive tackles at the next level with his lean frame, but he has plenty of room for growth to add 10 to 15 pounds.
He can also be lethal when slanting with how quick and agile he is to throw off blockers' angels and get penetration. Long story short, he has very few flaws against the run and has the upside to be even better with some added mass.
However, he's certainly a run-first player, which has a distinct impact on his get-off in rushing situations. He's likely going to have trouble with pressure on first and second downs as he won't be able to win with speed getting off the ball so late and struggles to collapse the pocket as a bull-rusher.
The Georgia product does have a few traits and moves in his pass-rush arsenal that he can win with on passing downs, though. He sets up his stick moves well by getting to square and giving himself a two-way go, and he has the bend to turn tight corners when winning around the edge. Working on the consistency of his use of hands to defeat the offensive lineman's hands will allow him to grow in that department.
Schematically, Smith's weight might be an issue for an even-front team that's looking for a more traditional, hand-in-the-ground defensive end. But if a team thinks they'll be able to add size to his frame in their weight program, he's strong and physical enough as it is to get the job done. However, recovering from a torn pec might scare some of these teams off.
He could play as a standup outside linebacker on odd fronts, too. That's closer to how he was used in college, but he wasn't the best in coverage which could be an issue in that scheme at the next level. That being said, he does have good athleticism to flush that part of his game out.
