NFL Mock Draft: Week 13 Wednesday edition
By Staff
The New Orleans Saints are staring at a bleak future. After backlogging so many contracts, it’s nearly time to pay the piper. Drew Brees’s glory years are nearly in the rearview, and the bon temps in the Crescent City are quickly drying up.
Rob Ryan is out (sadly, no more Greek Festival pictures), and the defense needs a manicure. There are a lot of holes in the bucket, and given the way the salary cap looks, the NFL Draft is going to be crucial.
Jaylon Smith emerged as one of the top linebackers in college football in 2014, recording 111 total tackles, nine tackles for loss and 3.5 tackles for loss on the year.
As a junior this season, Smith reinforced his status as one of the premier defenders in the country, establishing himself as the top outside linebacker prospect in the 2016 NFL Draft.
He combines an incredible understanding of the game with elite athleticism, something that would make him an incredible threat as an edge rusher in the Washington Redskins’ 3-4 defensive scheme. Notre Dame runs a somewhat complicated hybrid defensive front, meaning that Smith would have little trouble adjusting to Washington’s defense.
Next: No. 10 Jacksonville Jaguars