Draft analysis: Impressive rookie Roquan Smith should be a self-upgrade in 2019
Part 5 of an 11-part series previewing the NFL draft and analyzing the Bears’ needs.
Roquan Smith was a Pro Bowl alternate as a rookie last season. But even with impressive numbers — 122 tackles, eight tackles-for-loss, five sacks — by the eye test you could tell it was just a start for the inside linebacker from Georgia.
Smith got off to a late start after holding out for the first 29 days of training camp and missed 15 practices and — after suffering a hamstring injury early after signing — all five preseason games.
He only played eight snaps in the season-opening 24-23 loss to the Packers at Lambeau Field and had only 18 tackles in his first four games.
Once he got going, he was as good as advertised as the eighth overall pick of the 2018 draft. Instead of hitting the rookie wall, Smith was noticeably improving as the season progressed. He had 82 tackles in the final nine games of the regular-season, and seven tackles and an interception in the playoff loss to the Eagles.
“It was huge to watch him just kind of flourish, especially in the late part of the year,” Bears general manager Ryan Pace said. “ You talk to Roquan and you can just feel him — no different than any player — just feeling comfortable in the defense. So now he’s not thinking as much, he’s just playing with his instincts, and he’s playing fast.
“Those are his greatest strengths — his instincts and his speed. So the sky’s the limit for him. It’s just exciting to see him grow. And I think you saw a glimpse of what he’s going to be, especially in the later part of the season.”
So as good as he was as a rookie, Smith is a candidate for a quantum leap in 2019. He’ll have the entire offseason program that he did not have last season. He’ll participate fully in training game from the start and presumably in all the preseason games that coach Matt Nagy plays his starters. And, of course, all the lessons learned from a fruitful rookie season.
With Smith and veteran Danny Trevathan coming off a solid season in which he also was a Pro Bowl alternate (102 tackles, eight tackles-for-loss, two interceptions, two sacks), the Bears are set at inside linebacker heading into the 2019 season.
Nick Kwiatkoski is a valuable reserve. The former fourth-round draft pick (2016) from West Virginia, played only 64 snaps on defense after starting the opener for Smith. But he started 13 games at inside linebacker in his first two seasons and likely would have been a productive starter if the Bears had not drafted Smith.
Joel Iyiegbuniwe, a fourth-round pick from Western Kentucky, played only 23 snaps on defense as a rookie but still figures to provide depth.
INSIDE LINEBACKERS
Grading the Bears’ need: Low. The Bears have two Pro Bowl caliber starters in Smith (who turned 22 on Monday) and Trevathan (29). Kwiatkoski has three seasons of experience in this defense. On the other hand, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Ryan Pace took a flyer on a player he feels has slipped too low. This front seven makes almost anybody a potential surprise contributor.
On the roster: Danny Trevathan, Roquan Smith, Nick Kwiatkoski, Joel Iyiegbuniwe, Jameer Thurman.
The five best draftees: LSU’s Devin White; Michigan’s Devin Bush; Alabama’s Mack Wilson; North Carolina State’s Germaine Pratt; Stanford’s Bobby Okereke.
Keep an eye on: Minnesota’s Blake Cashman was a walk-on who earned a scholarship and kept on improving. He ended up a team captain and the Golden Gophers’ leading tackler last season. He was a standout at the combine, running 4.5 in the 40, with a 37 1/2-inch vertical and 124-inch broad jump. He’s projected as a mid-round pick and special teams prospect. But with some surprising skills and the football gene, there might be more there than meets the eye.
Close to home: Wisconsin’s T.J. Edwards of Lake Villa, a quarterback at Lakes High School, had virtually no experience on defense, but the three-star recruit learned quickly. He led the Badgers in tackles in 2015, 2016 and 2018. He was a first-team All-American and Butkus Award finalist as a redshirt-junior in 2017 and all-Big Ten in 2018. He’s projected as a mid-round pick.