Maryland Terrapins Wide Receiver Torrey Smith will forge his final year of NCAA eligibility to enter the 2011 NFL Draft. It really is a pretty good move as a number of teams need a legitimate deep threat and whatever else he is, he is surely that. His is 6 foot 1 and 205 pounds, and wound up 2010 as first team all ACC opposite Leonard Hankerson of Miami. At the moment Smith projects as a late first round, high second round pick.
The Carolina Panthers might be kicking themselves as they had they not traded away their second round pick last year, they would be in a position to draft Andrew Luck with the first overall pick, and then add Smith either in the second round or trade up into the late first to get him. As it stands right now I can think of two teams that might reach for him in the first round.
Smith is exactly the kind of talent the Cleveland Browns could use, and may rank highly on the St. Louis Rams draft boards as well. Both teams need a guy who can stretch the field. I would not expect Smith to be passed up by either of those teams. It seems that Cleveland will have a top ten pick and that may be to much of a reach for them, but St. Louis will pick first somewhere in the middle of the first round, and I would seriously doubt they let him get by them.
Of course it is still way early, and much will change from now until April. However it seems Smith’s decision to leave school was a good one as at least three teams are looking for players like this as their primary need.
Related Links:
- NFL Draft Now
- Joshua Lobdell.com
