Maybe I was wrong. Will Smith might play linebacker.

SaintsReporter · 04-25-2004, 10:05 AM

He runs like a defensive back, jumps like an NBA small forward and bench-presses like a bodybuilder.

But the most impressive thing about new Saints defensive end Will Smith isn't his eye-popping athletic ability or his impressive college rÃƒÂƒÃ‚Â¨sumÃƒÂƒÃ‚Â¨, former teammate LeCharles Bentley said.

"The most important thing about Will is his character," said Bentley, a former teammate of Smith at Ohio State. "He's a real mature guy and a good leader. I think we need more of that in our locker room."

Those intangibles are what separated the former Buckeyes standout from Miami defensive tackle Vince Wilfork, who the Saints also considered with the No. 18 overall selection.

Smith simply was too good a player and person to pass, even though the club already boasts quality ends in Darren Howard and Charles Grant.

Some scouts compare Smith's versatility to another former Buckeye: Mike Vrabel, who plays outside linebacker and defensive end for the Super Bowl-champion New England Patriots.

"You heard we tried to get Tony Brackens from Jacksonville (in free agency)," Saints defensive line coach John Pease said. "We got him. We drafted him. . . . He's got the speed and agility to be a linebacker. I think what you are talking about is Tony Brackens, Pat Swilling, that kind of athlete. . . . I think it sends a good message to this defensive line that we are building for speed."

For the rest.........

http://www.nola.com/saints/t-p/index...5663107450.xml

D_it_up · 04-25-2004, 10:50 AM

Good find, Billy....It\'s funny to call you Bily because I feel like I\'m talking to myself since that\'s my real name, too. Back to the matter at hand, I\'m feeling pretty good about Will Smith. This is totally making me think that the Saints may swith to a 3-4 defense. Let\'s look at the roster for those positions real quick:

Defensive Line: Howard, Grant, Young, Sullivan, Whitehead, Williams, Kenny Smith, and Will Smith (Can play end or linebacker)

Linebacker: Rodgers, Cie Grant, Ruff, Darren Smith, Hodge, Allen, Knight, Watson, and once again Will Smith.

I see Howard, Young, and Charles Grant starting on the line with a speedy corps of linebackers working in and out of the game. This has a potential to be a blitz happy set of linebackers with Rodgers and Will Smith *snap, pshhhhhhh* providing most of the rush. At least this is what I\'m hoping for. I think Haslett has finally realized that the 3-4 is what made his defense successful in Pittsburgh, so he\'ll bring it back to New Orleans and try to have that same success. At least this is what I\'m hoping. I know it\'s a HUGE stretch, but if the Saints can implement this system and be anywhere CLOSE to the days of the Dome Patrol, this defense will be markedly improved.

I\'ll leave this post on this note.

At Ohio State, born and raised, on the football field is where he spent most of his days....Chillin, all maxin, all cool and all playin some football when he wasn\'t in school. When a couple of guys, who thought they were doin some good...brought a contract offer to his neighborhood....He got in one little draft and his mom got scared and said \"Wouldn\'t you rather play with a guy named McNair?\" He went to the Airport and when it flew near....It had a fluer-de-lis on the side and black and gold in the mirror...If anything he thought that the team may not win, but he thought \"Nah, forget it! YO, HOLMES, TO ORLEANS!!!!!!! He....pulled...up to the Dome around 7 or 8 and he yelled to the pilot...YO, HOLMES, SMELL YA LATA!!!! He looked at his kingdom he was finally in...to sit on the throne as the Fresh Prince of New Orleans\".......GIVE ME A BEAT!!!!

[Edited on 25/4/2004 by D_it_up2]

SaintsReporter · 04-25-2004, 10:55 AM

At Ohio State, born and raised, on the football field is where he spent most of his days....Chillin, all maxin, all cool and all playin some football when he wasn\'t in school. When a couple of guys, who thought they were doin some good...brought a contract offer to his neighborhood....He got in one little draft and his mom got scared and said \"Wouldn\'t you rather play with a guy named McNair?\" He went to the Airport and when it flew near....It had a fluer-de-lis on the side and black and gold in the mirror...If anything he thought that the team may not win, but he thought \"Nah, forget it! YO, HOLMES, TO ORLEANS!!!!!!! He....pulled...up to the Dome around 7 or 8 and he yelled to the pilot...YO, HOLMES, SMELL YA LATA!!!! He looked at his kingdom he was finally in...to sit on the throne as the Fresh Prince of New Orleans\".......GIVE ME A BEAT

Now that\'s damn funny!! I can just hear the guys on sportscenter having all kinds of fun with his name. And, he is the \"Man in Black\" and Gold. :P

D_it_up · 04-25-2004, 10:58 AM

LOL...glad ya liked it...I guess I\'m just trying to make light of it all for those who are confused by the pick. If anything, his name will give us all amusement..lol

-RVD- · 04-25-2004, 11:04 AM

Maybe, Will Simth will play DE and Darren Howard will play DT.

Euphoria · 04-25-2004, 11:09 AM

I don\'t think the Saints had a plan when drafting Smith... I think they were shocked he was there and figured go with best player and Smith from the MIB\'s was the pick they ought to take for value. Now they will have to decide what to do with him ect. after the draft.

SaintsReporter · 04-25-2004, 11:20 AM

I don\'t think the Saints had a plan when drafting Smith... I think they were shocked he was there and figured go with best player and Smith from the MIB\'s was the pick they ought to take for value. Now they will have to decide what to do with him ect. after the draft.

I\'m not so sure about that. I think all coaching staffs knows just how unpredictable the draft is and prepares for EVERY scenario that might play out. I\'m sure Haslett and co. entertained the idea that Will Smith MIGHT fall to them. And, I\'m sure they thought about where he would play if he fell in their lap.

I can almost guarantee you that our first round pick will not be sitting on the bench this year. He\'ll play and play a lot. You don\'t let 1st round picks sit on the bench. Especially if your name is Jim Haslett and folks are already screaming for your head.

no_cloning · 04-25-2004, 11:53 AM

At Ohio State, born and raised, on the football field is where he spent most of his days....Chillin, all maxin, all cool and all playin some football when he wasn\'t in school. When a couple of guys, who thought they were doin some good...brought a contract offer to his neighborhood....He got in one little draft and his mom got scared and said \"Wouldn\'t you rather play with a guy named McNair?\" He went to the Airport and when it flew near....It had a fluer-de-lis on the side and black and gold in the mirror...If anything he thought that the team may not win, but he thought \"Nah, forget it! YO, HOLMES, TO ORLEANS!!!!!!! He....pulled...up to the Dome around 7 or 8 and he yelled to the pilot...YO, HOLMES, SMELL YA LATA!!!! He looked at his kingdom he was finally in...to sit on the throne as the Fresh Prince of New Orleans\".......GIVE ME A BEAT!!!!

I told you I didn\'t like his music! lol
Will he be able to adjust playing in the NFL AND playing linebacker? Try it. Right now I don\'t believe it will work, but it beats trading Howard to make room for him on the defensive line.
D_it_up-2: 3-4 defense? If Smith pans out and Rodgers improves we have adequate OLB. But what we have on the inside is just terrible. Sully is not (yet?) the run stuffer some hoped he would be. It\'s a long shot - and simply not a good idea IMHO.

P.S.: You don\'t even wanna start Sullivan ... Young, the 280-pound nose tackle? Imagine what Kansas City would do to that 3-man front. Happy times for all fantasy owners of Priest Holmes.

SaintsReporter · 04-25-2004, 12:36 PM

Will he be able to adjust playing in the NFL AND playing linebacker? Try it. Right now I don\'t believe it will work, but it beats trading Howard to make room for him on the defensive line.

Will Smith HAS played linebacker in college. How much, I don\'t know. But, at least he has some eperience at the position. I don\'t know how difficult the transition would be, but with all the physical tool Smith has, he can play the position.

I am troubled about him coming to the NFL and having to play a postion that is not his natural position.

saintz08 · 04-25-2004, 01:23 PM

Will Smith HAS played linebacker in college. How much, I don\'t know. But, at least he has some eperience at the position.

At 275 lbs. he is going to have to lose some weight .

Not exactly a Saints players strong suit .

Deuce - over weight
Sullivan - Way over weight
Craver - over weight

Jenny Craig is going to have to get a room on Airline Dr. ..... :P

04-25-2004, 10:05 AM	#1
SaintsReporter Registered Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 82	Maybe I was wrong. Will Smith might play linebacker. He runs like a defensive back, jumps like an NBA small forward and bench-presses like a bodybuilder. But the most impressive thing about new Saints defensive end Will Smith isn't his eye-popping athletic ability or his impressive college rÃƒÂƒÃ‚Â¨sumÃƒÂƒÃ‚Â¨, former teammate LeCharles Bentley said. "The most important thing about Will is his character," said Bentley, a former teammate of Smith at Ohio State. "He's a real mature guy and a good leader. I think we need more of that in our locker room." Those intangibles are what separated the former Buckeyes standout from Miami defensive tackle Vince Wilfork, who the Saints also considered with the No. 18 overall selection. Smith simply was too good a player and person to pass, even though the club already boasts quality ends in Darren Howard and Charles Grant. Some scouts compare Smith's versatility to another former Buckeye: Mike Vrabel, who plays outside linebacker and defensive end for the Super Bowl-champion New England Patriots. "You heard we tried to get Tony Brackens from Jacksonville (in free agency)," Saints defensive line coach John Pease said. "We got him. We drafted him. . . . He's got the speed and agility to be a linebacker. I think what you are talking about is Tony Brackens, Pat Swilling, that kind of athlete. . . . I think it sends a good message to this defensive line that we are building for speed." For the rest......... http://www.nola.com/saints/t-p/index...5663107450.xml
SaintsReporter Registered Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 82

04-25-2004, 10:50 AM	#2
D_it_up Faqda Falcons Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Ruston, Louisiana Posts: 3,465 Blog Entries: 3	Maybe I was wrong. Will Smith might play linebacker. Good find, Billy....It\'s funny to call you Bily because I feel like I\'m talking to myself since that\'s my real name, too. Back to the matter at hand, I\'m feeling pretty good about Will Smith. This is totally making me think that the Saints may swith to a 3-4 defense. Let\'s look at the roster for those positions real quick: Defensive Line: Howard, Grant, Young, Sullivan, Whitehead, Williams, Kenny Smith, and Will Smith (Can play end or linebacker) Linebacker: Rodgers, Cie Grant, Ruff, Darren Smith, Hodge, Allen, Knight, Watson, and once again Will Smith. I see Howard, Young, and Charles Grant starting on the line with a speedy corps of linebackers working in and out of the game. This has a potential to be a blitz happy set of linebackers with Rodgers and Will Smith snap, pshhhhhhh providing most of the rush. At least this is what I\'m hoping for. I think Haslett has finally realized that the 3-4 is what made his defense successful in Pittsburgh, so he\'ll bring it back to New Orleans and try to have that same success. At least this is what I\'m hoping. I know it\'s a HUGE stretch, but if the Saints can implement this system and be anywhere CLOSE to the days of the Dome Patrol, this defense will be markedly improved. I\'ll leave this post on this note. At Ohio State, born and raised, on the football field is where he spent most of his days....Chillin, all maxin, all cool and all playin some football when he wasn\'t in school. When a couple of guys, who thought they were doin some good...brought a contract offer to his neighborhood....He got in one little draft and his mom got scared and said \"Wouldn\'t you rather play with a guy named McNair?\" He went to the Airport and when it flew near....It had a fluer-de-lis on the side and black and gold in the mirror...If anything he thought that the team may not win, but he thought \"Nah, forget it! YO, HOLMES, TO ORLEANS!!!!!!! He....pulled...up to the Dome around 7 or 8 and he yelled to the pilot...YO, HOLMES, SMELL YA LATA!!!! He looked at his kingdom he was finally in...to sit on the throne as the Fresh Prince of New Orleans\".......GIVE ME A BEAT!!!! [Edited on 25/4/2004 by D_it_up2]
	People shouldn't be afraid of their government. Governments should be afraid of their people.

04-25-2004, 10:55 AM	#3
SaintsReporter Registered Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 82	Maybe I was wrong. Will Smith might play linebacker. At Ohio State, born and raised, on the football field is where he spent most of his days....Chillin, all maxin, all cool and all playin some football when he wasn\'t in school. When a couple of guys, who thought they were doin some good...brought a contract offer to his neighborhood....He got in one little draft and his mom got scared and said \"Wouldn\'t you rather play with a guy named McNair?\" He went to the Airport and when it flew near....It had a fluer-de-lis on the side and black and gold in the mirror...If anything he thought that the team may not win, but he thought \"Nah, forget it! YO, HOLMES, TO ORLEANS!!!!!!! He....pulled...up to the Dome around 7 or 8 and he yelled to the pilot...YO, HOLMES, SMELL YA LATA!!!! He looked at his kingdom he was finally in...to sit on the throne as the Fresh Prince of New Orleans\".......GIVE ME A BEAT Now that\'s damn funny!! I can just hear the guys on sportscenter having all kinds of fun with his name. And, he is the \"Man in Black\" and Gold. :P
SaintsReporter Registered Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 82

04-25-2004, 10:58 AM	#4
D_it_up Faqda Falcons Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Ruston, Louisiana Posts: 3,465 Blog Entries: 3	Maybe I was wrong. Will Smith might play linebacker. LOL...glad ya liked it...I guess I\'m just trying to make light of it all for those who are confused by the pick. If anything, his name will give us all amusement..lol

04-25-2004, 11:04 AM	#5
-RVD- Registered Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: New Orleans, Louisiana Posts: 78	Maybe I was wrong. Will Smith might play linebacker. Maybe, Will Simth will play DE and Darren Howard will play DT.

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04-25-2004, 11:09 AM	#6
Euphoria 5000 POSTS! + Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Hollywood, CA Posts: 7,601 Blog Entries: 5	Maybe I was wrong. Will Smith might play linebacker. I don\'t think the Saints had a plan when drafting Smith... I think they were shocked he was there and figured go with best player and Smith from the MIB\'s was the pick they ought to take for value. Now they will have to decide what to do with him ect. after the draft.

04-25-2004, 11:20 AM	#7
SaintsReporter Registered Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 82	Maybe I was wrong. Will Smith might play linebacker. I don\'t think the Saints had a plan when drafting Smith... I think they were shocked he was there and figured go with best player and Smith from the MIB\'s was the pick they ought to take for value. Now they will have to decide what to do with him ect. after the draft. I\'m not so sure about that. I think all coaching staffs knows just how unpredictable the draft is and prepares for EVERY scenario that might play out. I\'m sure Haslett and co. entertained the idea that Will Smith MIGHT fall to them. And, I\'m sure they thought about where he would play if he fell in their lap. I can almost guarantee you that our first round pick will not be sitting on the bench this year. He\'ll play and play a lot. You don\'t let 1st round picks sit on the bench. Especially if your name is Jim Haslett and folks are already screaming for your head.
SaintsReporter Registered Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 82

04-25-2004, 11:53 AM	#8
no_cloning 100th Post Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 249	Maybe I was wrong. Will Smith might play linebacker. At Ohio State, born and raised, on the football field is where he spent most of his days....Chillin, all maxin, all cool and all playin some football when he wasn\'t in school. When a couple of guys, who thought they were doin some good...brought a contract offer to his neighborhood....He got in one little draft and his mom got scared and said \"Wouldn\'t you rather play with a guy named McNair?\" He went to the Airport and when it flew near....It had a fluer-de-lis on the side and black and gold in the mirror...If anything he thought that the team may not win, but he thought \"Nah, forget it! YO, HOLMES, TO ORLEANS!!!!!!! He....pulled...up to the Dome around 7 or 8 and he yelled to the pilot...YO, HOLMES, SMELL YA LATA!!!! He looked at his kingdom he was finally in...to sit on the throne as the Fresh Prince of New Orleans\".......GIVE ME A BEAT!!!! I told you I didn\'t like his music! lol Will he be able to adjust playing in the NFL AND playing linebacker? Try it. Right now I don\'t believe it will work, but it beats trading Howard to make room for him on the defensive line. D_it_up-2: 3-4 defense? If Smith pans out and Rodgers improves we have adequate OLB. But what we have on the inside is just terrible. Sully is not (yet?) the run stuffer some hoped he would be. It\'s a long shot - and simply not a good idea IMHO. P.S.: You don\'t even wanna start Sullivan ... Young, the 280-pound nose tackle? Imagine what Kansas City would do to that 3-man front. Happy times for all fantasy owners of Priest Holmes.
no_cloning 100th Post Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 249

04-25-2004, 12:36 PM	#9
SaintsReporter Registered Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 82	Maybe I was wrong. Will Smith might play linebacker. Will he be able to adjust playing in the NFL AND playing linebacker? Try it. Right now I don\'t believe it will work, but it beats trading Howard to make room for him on the defensive line. Will Smith HAS played linebacker in college. How much, I don\'t know. But, at least he has some eperience at the position. I don\'t know how difficult the transition would be, but with all the physical tool Smith has, he can play the position. I am troubled about him coming to the NFL and having to play a postion that is not his natural position.
SaintsReporter Registered Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 82

04-25-2004, 01:23 PM	#10
saintz08 1000 Posts + Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 3,020	Maybe I was wrong. Will Smith might play linebacker. Will Smith HAS played linebacker in college. How much, I don\'t know. But, at least he has some eperience at the position. At 275 lbs. he is going to have to lose some weight . Not exactly a Saints players strong suit . Deuce - over weight Sullivan - Way over weight Craver - over weight Jenny Craig is going to have to get a room on Airline Dr. ..... :P
saintz08 1000 Posts + Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 3,020