As I rarely pay attention to college football, my first experience watching Maryland WR Torrey Smith was in the gauntlet drill at the combine.
I didn't know who he was at the time, but after seeing him run that drill, I wrote his name down so I'd remember to look him up. He was one of the only guys who ran that drill like he meant it. He exploded down the line and finished strong, catching all his passes along the way.
Turns out, that drill was a microcosm for what Torrey Smith is as a player: Fast, raw and hardworking.
Smith was recently brought in to Detroit for a visit with Lions personnel (side note: anyone else find it funny that current NFL players can't talk with their coaches right now, but prospective ones can?), and it's no wonder why; Smith is exactly the kind of player Jim Schwartz likes.
He has physical size, vertical threat speed, and the kind of "never stop working" mentality being seen more and more around Detroit. On top of that, he is an excellent run blocker, an attribute often overlooked in receivers.
Smith's biggest drawback is his lack of polish. He does a poor job of running routes underneath, he struggles at creating consistent separation and he doesn't yet fully understand how to read zone coverage.
In other words, he needs some coaching.
If drafted, Smith would become wide receivers coach Shawn Jefferson's pet project. Smith has a lot to learn, but he also has the mentality to learn it. If he cleans up the rough patches in his game, he has the physical tools and the intangibles to be a legitimate No. 1 receiver.
Of course, as long as Calvin Johnson is in town, he won't be the No. 1 guy. But he could give the Lions the kind of deep threat one-two punch they've been looking for on the wings, while simultaneously solving the problem of No. 3 receiver as Nate Burleson slides into the role.
Even without the polish he needs, Smith is easily within the top five of this year's receiving class, though there is some dissent regarding exactly where. A quick scan of major mock drafts shows Smith coming off the board between the bottom of the first and second rounds. The Lions, at the top/middle of the second round, would be drafting him right about where he should go.
Now, I know this is going to open a lot of old wounds, and it goes against both what you've been told and what you're probably thinking. But bear with me.
Torrey Smith in the second round of this year's draft isn't a bad idea, because WR is the Lions' second-biggest offensive need right now. First is interior linemen, third is power running back. Both of those can be found further down the board.
Not Smith. Smith could end up being the best receiver in this year's draft (though Julio Jones' combine performance begs to differ) if he pulls his physical skills together and figures out the mental aspects of the game. No other player with Smith's raw skill is going to be left on the board by the third or fourth round.
He's far from a "can't miss" prospect. But I'm talking about taking him in round number two, not with pick number two.
Sure, Smith isn't a freak of nature like Johnson is; he's a modest 6'1", 205 lbs. But he is fast like Johnson, can play the deep ball like Johnson, and is a hard worker who does what it takes to win like Johnson.
The only question remaining is, will he wear Honolulu blue like Johnson?
Ashley Tisdale Asia Argento Aubrey ODay Audrina Patridge Autumn Reeser
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