Panthers Select Chau Smith-Wade DB - Round 5, Pick 157

[Mol3m4n]

Y'all aren't even happy with 5th round picks. 

[TheSpecialJuan]

[Bear Hands]

I guess Morgan got his dog chau

[mrcompletely11]

sure okay, hoping for center but this works, fills a need

[Daddy_Uncle]

Just now, Mol3m4n said:

Y'all aren't even happy with 5th round picks. 

Certain people will whine about everything the Panthers do. 

[chknwing]

he needs coaching.  refs will hav a field day with him unless he can learn to turn his head around but he has good instincts on reading the qb

[Pazhoosier89]

Bring Gilly on. This guy can complete for the starter at nickel corner.

[MHS831]

I think they will play him at nickel but he can play outside.  I think this is a good value pick and will be good depth.

[shaqattaq]

4 minutes ago, bobcat91 said:

Small as hell. Not what I was wanting or expecting. 

I was hoping for DJ James from Auburn, but at least we went CB, which I like.

[CRA]

I have never heard of this human before 

but now let me tell you exactly why Dan Morgan is an idiot.  I mean genius. 

[amcoolio]

Walterfootball had him as a 3rd round prospect

[Bear Hands]

2 minutes ago, MHS831 said:

I think they will play him at nickel but he can play outside.  I think this is a good value pick and will be good depth.

He'll definitely compete for slot snaps in dime and quarters.  Starting NB will probably be Hill vs. Dane unless this kid can be a bit of a diamond in the rough.  

Can see us scooping up Gilmore to get the perimeter corner.  Should settle out the DB room.  

[rayzor]

I think I picked him to us a time or two. Not someone I was particularly looking for, but I didn't hate it. Read up on him at the time and he seemed scrappy enough which was why I had any interest in him at all.

[Basbear]

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10105350-chau-smith-wade-nfl-draft-2024-scouting-report-for-washington-state-cb

 

OVERALL

Chau Smith-Wade is an ultra-athletic cornerback with two years of starting experience for Washington State. Although he's slightly undersized cornerback, he was very productive throughout his career.

Smith-Wade looked like one of the top cornerbacks at the Senior Bowl this year. He was able to show off his quick feet and fluid hips in coverage, along with his slot corner skills.

Smith-Wade has the versatility to play both man and zone coverages. When in zone, he has the vision and spacing needed to capitalize in coverage. He is able to see routes develop and quickly identify threats while reacting to the quarterback's eyes.

At times, Smith-Wade can get caught gambling or staring at the quarterback too long. When playing the ball, he does a good job of getting his head around to react, but he lacks the hands to capitalize on his opportunities.

He excels in press coverage, where he is able to show off his footwork, lateral movement skills and twitch. He does a very good job of using his hands while in coverage, but he can be too handsy downfield at times.

 

Smith-Wade has shown great twitch and explosiveness when driving on the ball. However, his high pad level can cause sloppy or hesitant footwork and transitions in off coverage at times.

Although he lacks ideal size for an NFL cornerback, Smith-Wade shows up in the run game. He is quick to identify runs or screens and comes downhill with good aggressiveness. He often uses his quickness to beat blocks in space, combined with good hand usage when in limited space.

However, his lack of overall size can show up at times in run defense. When matched against bigger blockers, Smith-Wade can get walled off and forced to run around blocks. As a tackler, he does a great job of getting the ball-carrier down on the ground. He often runs through the legs or does a great job of securing the wrap tackle.

At the Senior Bowl, Smith-Wade was able to show his versatility in coverage from the outside and nickel positions. Due to his lack of length, the nickel position may be the best fit for him, although he provides more than enough skills to be a depth player as a high-level backup.

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GRADE: 7.1 (High-Level Backup/Potential Starter — 3rd Round)

 

OVERALL RANK: 75

POSITION RANK: CB10

PRO COMPARISON: Troy Pride Jr.

 

 

 

 

 

That last name.....