DAAAAAAAMN!!! But now the interesting question...at what point can the Bears afford to redshirt him for a year? With that sort of talent, athleticism, ability, football instincts, etc., what round is worth the gamble of not having him for an entire year?

 

My first instinct says if he's there in the third round, you grab him.

Can he withdraw from the draft? If I'm him, that's what I do. If he has nerve damage and is out the full year, he becomes a fifth rounder at best.

Can he withdraw from the draft? If I'm him, that's what I do. If he has nerve damage and is out the full year, he becomes a fifth rounder at best.

Good question, but I don't think so.

I don't think he can withdraw because he already has an agent......I do however think that he doesn't have to sign and that would give him reentry into next years draft.

 

5th round might be a stretch. Hopefully it's a bad comparison, but Marcus Lattimore, who wasn't as highly thought of as Smith, went in the 4th. I think that is Smith's floor.

 

 

I don't think he can withdraw because he already has an agent......I do however think that he doesn't have to sign and that would give him reentry into next years draft.

 

5th round might be a stretch. Hopefully it's a bad comparison, but Marcus Lattimore, who wasn't as highly thought of as Smith, went in the 4th. I think that is Smith's floor.

Funny you mention Lattimore because many are comparing the injuries due to the now discovered nerve damage.

Nerve damage....that's horrible news for Smith. Early reports were that there was no nerve damage. I'm guessing his camp released that information indicating that there should be no lasting nerve damage. For me it takes him off the board completely right now simply due to the questions about how severe the nerve injury was. Not to mention the lack of depth on this team. I'm not sure how well an exam can decipher the extent of the nerve damage so there are big questions here.

 

However, I'd visit him again closer to the draft to see how he's progressing. From what little I've read today, nerves heel slowly, about 1-2mm per day but I'd have to see some good signs of progress to put him back on the board. It seems most likely that he should regain full use of that leg but there's a good chance it will never function the same again. No doubt he has the best medical care he can get and treatments improve quickly these days.

 

http://ravallirepublic.com/lifestyles/heal...1a4bcf887a.html

 

However many weeks/months it will take the nerves to heal will just delay the rehab he has to do for the ligament injuries, either in part or entirely. So you're not just writing off this season, you don't know what you'll have next season either.

 

If he's getting better in 6 weeks perhaps 5th or 6th Rd? We just have too many needs to invest anything higher than that IMO. Even a player like Tyler Ervin in 4th/5th Rd could likely contribute.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/nfl-dra...-multiple-teams