STRENGTHS
Cam might be one of the smartest football players in this draft. He has good size, excellent speed, and quickness and uses the techniques of his position to magnify his athletic talent. Cam knows his job on every play and doesn’t have to guess because he reads players like an FBI agent interrogating a suspect. He is excellent at shedding blocks and making a tackle before the line of scrimmage. Cam has all the athletic hip flip, and change of direction talent and shows very good recovery burst and speed to be a potential shutdown corner. He can play in any style of zone defense as well as single coverage and because of his ability to shed tackles and be stout against the run he can play in the slot. Cam might not have the size that teams like to see to play the safety position, but that doesn’t mean he would not be an excellent safety and that makes him the type of defensive back who can play any position in the backfield for your defense.
CONCERNS
I will nit-pick, I think Cam could be a better form tackler because right now he is a little sloppy and for the next level players will break his tackles and make extra yardage. Every defensive back gets beat but if you can tackle right away, you limit the impact of getting beat and the yards after the catch.
BOTTOM LINE: 1.58
Cam’s on-the-field intelligence to read his opponents before the snap of the ball, is truly what gives him an edge beyond his athletic talent. He is a born leader who knows when to follow and that is also a strength he brings with him to the next level. His size will deter some teams from picking him early because he is on the edge for having what most considered to be “impact” size. All I see is a defensive back who has the intelligence to challenge the best QB’s, Coaches, and receivers, in the NFL and make them game plan to stay away from his side of the field. In all the films I have watched of Cam, I have never seen him being “handled” when opponents are trying to block him. He is quicker at shedding blocks than a guy getting rid of a bad first date. You might fool Cam once in a game but you will not fool him twice for sure. I liked to see him bulk up and play safety and then you can use him all over the field. At safety, he would make more impact plays and be a coach on the field. That being said, any way you slice it, Cam is a quality football player, and selecting him early in this draft just makes a whole lot of sense to me. Cam (FBI) Smith…I like it.
