2022 NFL DRAFT PROSPECT REPORT
- Name: Smoke Monday
- Position: Safety
- School: Auburn
- Height: 6'3"
- Weight: 200lbs
Film Watched: Arkansas 2021, Penn State 2021, Alabama 2019
Pro's:
- Big, powerful safety with a nasty demeanour and isn’t afraid to show it
- ‘Physical’ isn’t a worthy description for how hard Monday plays football. The ultimate enforcer
- Stalker behind the defensive line, dropping down into the box and meeting ball carriers coming through the hole
- Able to penetrate the backfield on blitzes – 6 sacks and 17 TFL’s in his career (9 TFL’s in 2021)
- Instinctual in coverage – good feel for developing route combos and steals a march to the ball
- More than enough movement in short areas to cover zones nearer the line of scrimmage
- Making big plays in his DNA – five interceptions at Auburn, three returned for touchdowns
- Made to dominate on special teams
Smoke Monday is a FS prospect in the 2022 draft class. He scored an unofficial 9.19 RAS at the Combine out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 65 out of 788 FS from 1987 to 2022. https://t.co/asApm454ao #RAS via @Mathbomb pic.twitter.com/iRIX8HNrSJ
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) March 7, 2022
Con's:
- High cut and has some stiffness mirroring in man coverage
- Definite sluggishness when flipping and chasing – speedy slot receivers can stack him early
- Gives separation the longer routes develop – doesn’t have the quicks to recover in pursuit
- Doesn’t have the long speed or range to operate as a single high safety
- Aggression and desire to make big plays make him vulnerable to misdirection
The Verdict:
“The coolest name in this year’s NFL Draft, nobody accuses Smoke Monday of being all fur coat and no knickers - The Auburn enforcer not only physically imposes himself on football games, he plays with a passion and need to win that jumps off the screen. Not many prospects have a love for football as obvious as Monday does - and that’s no disrespect to anyone else in this draft class. Monday matches that intensity with underappreciated instincts, and is better in pass coverage than he is given credit for. That’s not to say that you’ll want him dropping deep and manning the back end - Monday was made for coming down into the box, and many scouts will have him tabbed for a hybrid role at the next level - he even looks like a linebacker! But in the right scheme that lets him attack and has a healthy supporting cast around him he’s starter material - and a potential captain on special teams to boot.”
Simon Carroll
Head Of NFL Draft Content
NFL COMPARISON: TANNER MUSE
PREDICTION: 5TH ROUND PICK
5/5