NFL teams are allowed to fly in 30 prospects to tour their home facilities and meet privately with coaches and scouts, and we’re slowly piecing together the list of visits for the New Orleans Saints. The latest report came from Greg Auman of the Athletic, who passed along that the Saints will host Boston College wide receiver Jeff Smith.
Smith was a big-play threat in 2018, recording a career-best 19.4 yards per reception and six touchdown catches. However, he was targeted sparingly and caught just 20 passes last season. Given his low volume of career touches (72 receptions in the last three years, none at all in his freshman season) the Saints probably want to get a closer look at his techniques and see how he moves.
Interestingly, Smith was worked into the offense on the ground more often than through the air, with 136 rushing attempts in his career. Most of those attempts (72) came in his freshman season, when he gained 454 yards and scored on six touchdown runs, and he became gradually more involved in the passing game as the years drew on. That’s an element that likely caught the Saints’ attention.
One more note: Smith’s pro day workout results suggest he is an elite athlete. He measured in at 6-foot-0, 191 pounds, and then tore it up by timing the 40-yard dash in 4.36 seconds, a 127-inch broad jump, and a 6.87-second three-cone drill. Smith is fast, agile, and explosive. But his low college production will probably ensure his status as a late-round draft pick, or a potential free agent signee after the draft.
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