The Cincinnati Bengals have drafted Fresno State free safety Derron Smith, making him the No. 197 overall selection in the 2015 NFL Draft. Smith was a four-year player who started all 14 games in his 2014 senior campaign. He was first-team All-Mountain West conference in each of his final three collegiate seasons.
NFL Draft picks 2015: Derron Smith to Bengals in 6th round
The Cincinnati Bengals took Derron Smith in the sixth round of the NFL Draft.
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As a former high school quarterback, Smith knows how to read the opposing quarterback, picking off 15 passes during his time at Fresno State. He’s able to think his way into making solid plays and can play on the line of scrimmage or out in coverage. He uses his vision in tandem with his sound instincts to find himself in the right spots often.
Though he has the skill set to make it at the next level, he lacks ideal size and measurables consistent with NFL stars. Standing 5’10, he struggles against big receivers and tight ends in coverage. After dealing with a sports hernia injury during his senior season, Smith had surgery in December and had to skip workouts at the Combine in February. He was able to participate at Fresno State’s pro day, though, and put together a solid performance. Smith ran a 4.6 40-yard dash and also posted a vertical leap of 34 inches and a 10’3 broad jump.
Another area for development for Smith is in tackling. Last season with the Bulldogs, he tried to overextend himself and missed too many tackles. He’ll need to clean that up in order to be effective as a pro.
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