Official 2016 Combine Thread

[smuggler]

Smith is going to be an UDFA. I don't really see teams using a draft pick on someone who's got his issues.

A team drafted Lattimore after much worse injury woe. Someone will draft Smith and stow/rehab him. It's just a matter of when. Honestly, 3rd-4th is probably where some team takes the gamble. Don't be shocked if it's the 49ers again.

[Patler]

You have a point, and it's a hard thing to gauge. I don't think a guy like that would be an afterthought a year from now, he needs to get healthy and pass a physical, then teams will want to talk to him.

I think the question is will a team take a flyer on him, put him on the payroll, and he can rehab with NFL facilities? That's a chance. If he'd stayed in school, he'd have another year of education, but what sort of medical facilities/health insurance? I'm sure I have no idea how that would work.

At this point, he might be hoping for a Marcus Lattimore type deal. Latimore tore ligaments in two successive years, Left ACL one year multiple ligaments, and knee dislocation in his right the following year. His injury was so bad many called it the most devastating knee injury from football ever. It was reported that he tore all four major ligaments and sustained significant nerve damage, making it worse then the three ligament tear Willis McGahee suffered. One ortho wrote an article at the time that not too many years earlier, Lattimore wouldn't have even had a functional knee for walking without a brace. Yet Lattimore declared for the draft and was drafted in the fourth round, even though everyone knew it would be at least a year, if he ever played.

McGahee, Lattimore and Gurley were all drafted without having recuperated from knee surgeries, and McGahee and Lattimore had even worse injuries, I think, then Smith had. Lattimore never came back from his injury. If he had not declared for the draft that year, he never would have been drafted.

All Smith needs is for one team to believe he will eventually play again at something near the level he played at this past year. I suspect team will take the chance in rounds 2-4 on him. At that point, his potential will far out shine anyone else available.

[Pugger]

Smith sang McCarthy's praises after his interview, he was very impressed. If he is still there in round 3 I wouldn't mind Ted taking that gamble. If Smith can play anywhere near what he did before the injury later this season or in 2017 he'll be the steal of this draft.

[Patler]

Smith sang McCarthy's praises after his interview, he was very impressed. If he is still there in round 3 I wouldn't mind Ted taking that gamble. If Smith can play anywhere near what he did before the injury later this season or in 2017 he'll be the steal of this draft.

Especially if GB gets a couple 4ths as compensatory picks, I wouldn't mind them using their 3rd or one of the 4ths for him. I don't want to see them use their first or even 2nd on him. He is a guy I wanted to see in GB before the injury.

Really unfortunate too, because the play he was injured on was a shove from behind after he let up at the end of a play, causing him too lunge forward awkwardly and twist his knee.

[Patler]

Wow, from a potential top 5 pick (I don't believe #1) to possibly un-draftable. Haven't heard anything about him having insurance, either. Kid is a poster child for fixing some of the money issues with college ball. There's a chance he never gets an NFL contract.

I wonder why he didn't stay in school, why he showed up at the combine at all. He's getting some bad advice, IMO.

Apparently Smith has a nice insurance policy, and might collect something even if he is drafted, but out of the first round:

Smith, who entered the draft as a junior, has a $5 million loss-of-value insurance policy and would have the possibility to collect on at least some benefit if he is not selected in the first round, sources told ESPN's Darren Rovell last month.

[Guiness]

Apparently Smith has a nice insurance policy, and might collect something even if he is drafted, but out of the first round:

Nice, good for him.

I hear what you're saying about the dangers of not entering the draft. Right now, teams can say "well, he just had the surgery, of course he can't pass the physical". A year from now if he still can't pass it, no one will touch him for sure.

[call_me_ishmael]

Apparently Smith has a nice insurance policy, and might collect something even if he is drafted, but out of the first round:

I always wonder how much these policies cost and who pays for them? I mean... you can't have an agent in college, so are they taking a loan against future earnings? Gotta imagine a 5M policy for a violent sport like football is a lot of money.

[pbmax]

Better than nothing but if his condition is as bad as some reports indicate then $5 mil is nice but doesn't really cover the loss.

Players pay with pre-approved financing:

The program enables qualifying student-athletes, as approved by the program administrator, to purchase a disability insurance contract with pre-approved financing, if necessary. This program will provide the student-athlete with the opportunity to protect against future loss of earnings as a professional athlete due to a disabling injury or sickness that may occur during the collegiate career.

[Cheesehead Craig]

A team drafted Lattimore after much worse injury woe. Someone will draft Smith and stow/rehab him. It's just a matter of when. Honestly, 3rd-4th is probably where some team takes the gamble. Don't be shocked if it's the 49ers again.

I should backtrack on my statement. Now that I think about it more, someone will draft him like you said, to stash him away and hope for the best with the rehab. I just think back to guys like Harrell and Hodge who were injured in college and we hoped they would heal and be something but we got burned big on them.

[Guiness]

I always wonder how much these policies cost and who pays for them? I mean... you can't have an agent in college, so are they taking a loan against future earnings? Gotta imagine a 5M policy for a violent sport like football is a lot of money.

It would be expensive, but you have to think worth it. If you don't get hurt, you make millions and pay off the price of the policy no problem. If you do get hurt, you aren't out in the cold.

IIRC the students have to pay for it themselves, otherwise the benefit is taxable. If you pay for it yourself, it is not.

[woodbuck27]

Apparently Smith has a nice insurance policy, and might collect something even if he is drafted, but out of the first round:

Patler I'm impressed with your knowledge and follow-up on RB Marcus Lattimore. I wondered (when I was doing my Draft Analysis...) if he could ever rebound to be the exciting RB some of us hoped see in the NFL.

The $5 M$ Insurance Policy and Good for Jaylon Smith. He obviously has that aspect of good advice on his side.

This is a good story to watch.

I'm looking at a Mock Round 1 Draft and Jaylon Smith was slated in this Mock to go at NO. 14....'a High Round Flier' for Oakland.

[Patler]

Patler I'm impressed with your knowledge and follow-up on RB Marcus Lattimore. I wondered (when I was doing my Draft Analysis...) if he could ever rebound to be the exciting RB some of us hoped see in the NFL.

The $5 M$ Insurance Policy and Good for Jaylon Smith. He obviously has that aspect of good advice on his side.

This is a good story to watch.

I'm looking at a Mock Round 1 Draft and Jaylon Smith was slated in this Mock to go at NO. 14....'a High Round Flier' for Oakland.

Lattimore's story is just one that has stuck with me. I felt so sorry for him when he had the two injuries in succession, and the second being such a devastating one. By all reports he was (is) an extremely level headed kid. He accepted things for what they were.

Sounds like Smith is the same.

[call_me_ishmael]

Smith is going to be an UDFA. I don't really see teams using a draft pick on someone who's got his issues.

Admittedly I don't know the extent of the injuries, but I would be shocked if that was the case. I see him going no lower than round #3. I've never seen him play but apparently he was supposed to be right there with Myles Jack as top 5 type players in the draft.

[call_me_ishmael]

It would be expensive, but you have to think worth it. If you don't get hurt, you make millions and pay off the price of the policy no problem. If you do get hurt, you aren't out in the cold.

IIRC the students have to pay for it themselves, otherwise the benefit is taxable. If you pay for it yourself, it is not.

I understand that, but who are these students that have hundreds of thousands of dollars for these things? Seems like a good chunk of 'em are either partnering with an agent early (against NCAA rules) or they are able to take out a loan against future earnings. Not sure how that works exactly.

[Guiness]

I understand that, but who are these students that have hundreds of thousands of dollars for these things? Seems like a good chunk of 'em are either partnering with an agent early (against NCAA rules) or they are able to take out a loan against future earnings. Not sure how that works exactly.

What pb said - pre-approved financing, so ya, essentially borrowing against future earnings. Seems like an exceedingly good bet to make as a prospective first rounder.