Every year there is always that one player in the draft with a crazy name that nobody would ever believe is real. For the 2022 class, that award must go to Auburn safety Smoke Monday. Having the first name Smoke is one thing, but his family name to also be Monday is the height of perfection. That isn't the only reason he's getting attention, though. It turns out the young man can play football pretty well too.
At least enough to draw the attention of the
Chicago Bears. With the NFL draft almost one week away, teams are squeezing in the last of their top 30 visits to help finalize their boards. Monday is somebody GM Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus seem to like as they had a virtual meeting with him, according to Justin Melo of The Draft Network. Upon researching the defensive back, it's not hard to see the
appeal.
https://twitter.com/JustinM_NFL/status/1516901837038882818
To start with, Monday has terrific size at 6'2, 207 lbs.
His 4.52 in the 40-yard dash at the scouting combine also showed he has enough speed to handle himself in coverage. Then again, all people needed to see were the three interceptions for touchdowns he had in college to realize that. Monday had five total interceptions, a forced fumble, and six sacks across four years of college. He developed a reputation for his big plays and also his big hits. Few safeties in this class play a more physical game than him.
https://twitter.com/SECNetwork/status/1330337618052206594
https://twitter.com/thecheckdown/status/1200897105763524608
https://twitter.com/AuburnFootball/status/1441906684675330052
Reports are Smoke Monday is a true alpha. Not only a leader on the field but football-obsessed. His love of the game trumps everything else about him. That sounds exactly like the type of player Poles and Eberflus want. So it isn't shocking they'd want to meet with him. The Bears need a more physical presence at safety. His ball skills also fit perfectly into their new H.I.T.S philosophy that emphasizes takeaways. The tricky part will be seeing if they can improve his instincts and play recognition in coverage.
