Coaches and front offices are required to watch the entire breadth of a player's college career before a draft. Every pick matters, especially those in the first round. One can imagine how much work the
Chicago Bears did on new addition, Roquan Smith. The Georgia linebacker has tape a mile long, and most of it impressive.
However, like any human beings, there are ones you remember most. That game that made everybody stop and take notice. Was there such a game for Smith with the Bears? There was indeed. Pace got a chance to talk with the media after the pick was made. He singled out Georgia's thrilling victory over Notre Dame last year that truly shot the linebacker up their board.
Smith had many great performances in 2017. The SEC championship against Auburn. The national championship against Alabama. Yet Pace is correct. The comeback against Notre Dame was one that put him on the national radar.
Roquan Smith helped keep Bulldogs alive in South Bend
People tend to forget that game because it was so early in the year. It was just the second time ever the two programs had met, which is bananas. Fittingly it was a slugfest of two teams with similar mindsets. Georgia's offense struggled most of the way. So it was the defense, led by Smith that needed to keep them alive.
Smith led the way with seven tackles including one for a loss and added a sack. He was everywhere and played a huge part in holding the Irish to four field goals. They also managed just 55 yards rushing.
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Smith exhibited all the hallmarks that made him so special. His sideline-to-sideline speed made outside runs almost impossible. Screen passes weren't much use either. What stood out the most was his awareness. Notre Dame wasn't fooling him in the slightest. He truly was a quarterback of the defense and he carried them to a huge victory in one of the toughest places in college football to play.
Bears fans haven't seen games like that from their linebackers since Brian Urlacher. There's a reason Smith draws comparisons to Patrick Willis and Ray Lewis. He's that total package of athleticism, toughness and mental processing. There's no consistent way to beat him. This is what the Bears saw that day and for the rest of the year. So in hindsight, it's not the least bit surprising he ended up being the pick.
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