Yawin Smallwood
UConn, MLB
Height: 6.2
Weight: 246
40yd: 5.01
Age: 22
|
Stats |
||||||
|
Year |
G |
Tak |
TFL |
Sak |
PBU |
INT |
|
2011 |
12 |
94 |
2.5 |
0.5 |
3 |
1 |
|
2012 |
12 |
120 |
15 |
3.5 |
4 |
0 |
|
2013 |
12 |
118 |
9.5 |
4 |
9 |
1 |
Athleticism: C-
Has very average range to get to the sideline. Has good speed moving in a straight line but is not a player who can change directions quickly. Has the ability to play in coverage situations but is limited athletically. Got juked by Maryland QB C.J. Brown. Shows good pursuit angles but needs to get on his horse more often to make a better play. Has a lot of wasted motion in his arms while pursuing the ballcarrier.
Power: D+
Does not fill run lanes. Seems content simply to wait and let the ballcarrier come to him. Does not generate much power on contact, and seems to not want to do the dirty work. Has trouble disengaging from blocks, and as a result just tries to avoid them and can take himself out of the play. The further he has to range from the middle of the field, the more trouble he has against the run.
Technique: C+
Does not play with his hands aggressively enough, and needs work to able to disengage. Needs to get lower to take on blocks and get tougher in general. Lasso tackler. Rarely squares up to make a tackle. Ends up making most of his plays with arm tackles which can be dangerous at the next level. Appears to have good strength in his arms to drag down ballcarriers, but needs to become a more sure, square up tackler.
Third-Down: C
Has enough straight-line burst and fluidity to slip interior blockers and get to the QB on the blitz. Clearly shows the most effort in pass rushing situations, and has more burst and explosion at the snap. Adequate ability to hold up in the zone coverage, but could have difficulty in zone. Can close and break up the pass on plays in front of him, but can have trouble staying with his man on deeper zones, and lacks awareness in space.
Intangibles: B-
Shows some hesitation and is not highly instinctive. Will drift at the snap rather than move with authority. Can be late to identify receivers in zone. Does not appear to be playing at max effort most times. Has a finesse mentality on the field. Three-year starter as a junior, and is a high football character player.
Red Flags: None
Bottom Line: Smallwood is a prime example of why statistics are meaningless when evaluating prospects. Smallwood was able to accumulate 238 tackles over the past two seasons, despite lacking and athletic or powerful element to his game. His ability to take coaching and to be Johnny-on-the-spot are his biggest assets as a prospect, and likely never be anything more than a backup.
Comparison: James-Michael Johnson
Grade: 7.4 (5th Round)
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