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S Tykee Smith, Georgia
Here's fun value: a Tyrann Mathieu style leader in the slot who is coming back from a couple of major injuries. Smith was already not a top notch athlete before, but a heady, instinctual player with a nasty attitude for a safety under 6' and 200 lbs. He's been an emotional leader on a fantastic Georgia defense, and though the team still steamrolled everybody in 2022, it was missing a few highlight hits across the middle.
The basic questions, he's already answered. He's excelled for years in a pro-style defense. His coverage in the slot is strong and he possesses the tenacity to challenge tight ends who have six inches and fifty pounds on him. Like Mathieu, he's not great at covering large distances of field, but the Chiefs don't play a ton of single-high anyway. Whether his coverage translates against NFL receivers is going to depend on how he tests.
But of course, that's the biggest question of all. He can't test. He's recovering from an ACL in October. There's a legitimate chance this guy goes undrafted. But that's the gift of having five-to-six picks in the 6th and 7th round. They cost you nothing, and they do ensure that a guy who starred in a defense at a program known for transferring extremely well to the NFL. With arguably the best athletic trainers in the NFL working on him for his entire rookie season, I suggest we invest.
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