Draft Watch, Week 4: Early-season pass rush studs Posted 12 hours agoAndrew MasonColumnist / AnalystEmail Twitter Facebook Mississippi States Preston Smith dominated his teams upset of LSU and gave his draft stock a boost last week. Pass rushers are always at a premium, and one has announced his presence with authority, in the parlance of Nuke LaLoosh, the last two weeks: Mississippi States Preston Smith.The Bulldogs 34-29 upset of LSU in Baton Rouge arched plenty of eyebrows, and Smith had a part, notching his third sack in the last two weeks. Working over the center, the 277-pound Smith used a quick hand move to get past him for a nine-yard sack on third down that piled more woe upon LSU, which already trailed 10-0.Smith has three sacks, two interceptions and five tackles for losses this year, showing his range and versatility. He has a lengthy wingspan, as youd expect from a 6-foot-6 inch defensive lineman. He is versatile enough to be used all over the line depending on the down and distance.His two interceptions show his ball skills; hes athletic enough to drop into coverage. One of his thefts was a one-handed grab that he turned into a touchdown. When he works in the pass rush, he has an increased array of hand moves, but he also reads the development of plays well. Even if he doesnt win his one-on-one matchup, he can be disruptive in obstructing the quarterbacks downfield view. Hes also blocked two field-goal attempts in the last four games.His performance against LSU was not enough to earn him this weeks SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week award. It was time to give it to someone else, anyway. Smith earned the honor in the first three weeks of the season, marking the first time anyone had taken it three weeks in succession.In previous years, Smith was inconsistent. He had the measurables and athleticism, but his motor wasnt always high. That has changed this year, and with more performances like this months, his stock should rise.Washington has the nations top two sackers so far this season: defensive tackle Danny Shelton (seven) andedge rusher Hauoli Kikaha (six), both of whom are potential Day 2 picks who might sneak into Day 1 next spring.Their performance Saturday will bear scrutiny, as Stanford and quarterback Kevin Hogan provide the toughest test the Huskies have faced. Washington has enjoyed a marshmallow slate, but struggled to wins over Hawaii and Eastern Washington, and trailed Georgia State at halftime last Saturday.Shelton, a 6-foot-1, 327-pound defensive tackle, will be coveted; potential NFL nose tackles with his pass-rush ability -- and potential against the run; he has 9.5 tackles for losses this season -- are rare. There is little chance he can maintain his sack pace; four of his seven came in one game, against Eastern Washington, and he recorded just 2.5 sacks in the previous two years. But continued effectiveness at generating pressure, even if it does not result in sacks, will cement his prospects.There are no such consistency questions with Kikaha, since he had 13 sacks last year, when he worked from a 4-3 defensive end spot. As an outside linebacker in the Huskies base 3-4, hes capitalized on the increased freedom offered him.The queries around his pre-draft status will revolve around his size and health. Hes listed at 246 pounds on a 6-foot-3 frame, but has played as high as 260 pounds. Where he ends up could determine whether hes a 4-3 end, a 3-4 linebacker, or ends up as a hybrid whose position depends on down, distance and personnel grouping.The bigger issue is Kikahas left knee. He tore his anterior cruciate ligament in 2011 and again a year later. He looks all the way back, but that could give some NFL teams pause.PREVIOUS DRAFT WATCHES:Week 1: Small-school standouts step upWeek 2: Looking to the NorthwestWeek 3: Scouring for wideouts
Posted on: Fri, 26 Sep 2014 08:31:29 +0000
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