With the 54th pick the Seattle Seahawks select -
Daryl Smith - MLB, Georgia Tech
OVERVIEW
Team captain who led the Yellow Jackets in tackles twice in four seasons … Steady performer in the middle of the field who moved into the starting lineup early in his freshman campaign … Rated one of the top linebackers in the nation coming out of college … Known for his durability and toughness, playing most of the 2002 season with a dislocated elbow … Started 44 of 46 games for Tech, recording 383 tackles (207 solos) with 15 sacks for minus-72 yards, 48 stops for losses of 123 yards, three interceptions for 89 yards in returns, 12 pass deflections, four fumble recoveries and three forced fumbles … His 383 tackles rank 11th on the school's all-time record list … His 48 stops behind the line of scrimmage are the most ever by a Tech linebacker and rank fourth overall behind Greg Gathers (57, 1999-2003), Coleman Rudolph (52, 1989-92) and Marco Coleman (50, 1989-91).
ANALYSIS
Positives: Has a compact frame with good overall muscle development, thick upper body and arms, good hamstrings and bubble … Will push himself to improve and gives total effort from snap to whistle … Flows to the ball with ease and has a nice feel to locate the pigskin in the open … Comes downhill well and has the strength to hold his ground vs. inside running plays … Plays with good knee bend and leverage to take on blocks … Can hold ground and shed blocks effectively … Uses his hands to knock the tight ends off their routes … Has adequate speed to run laterally and cut off the outside … Works best in the box, showing strength to wrap and secure as a tackler … Has natural hands for the interception … Shows nice timing on stunts and blitzes … Has the quickness to chase down plays and deliver a strong hit upon contact.
Negatives: While he has a nice feel to locate the ball, he hesitates some in his reads … Has good lateral quickness, but can get caught outside of himself when working in space (more comfortable playing in the box) … Needs to use his hand punch better to separate from blocks when redirecting through trash … Little too stiff in his hips to shadow the receiver outside the short area … Needs to get better depth in his pass drops and does not have the sudden burst needed to close … Shows strength pushing the pocket, but when he does not extend his hands, he can be caught up and sustained by the bigger blockers
