Jaylon Smith or Myles Jack in the top five?

[JohnnyHopkins]

I think this team could use a serious upgrade at Linebacker, so I am looking at both Smith and Jack's footage. Since a lot of you guys have been watching college prospects way more than I have to this point, I figured I would ask which of the two is your favorite and would either of them be worth a top five pick as of this moment?

 

[bayeslife]

I like Jaylon Smith better and he's good enough to go top 3.

 

[tm1119]

It's a weak top 10 compared to most years, if 1 is clear cut BPA you almost have to. With that said, it's definitely not ideal to go LB top 5. QB, LT, Pass Rusher, and CB are the $ positions that you want to have a blue chip prospect lined up at for 5 years. Still plenty of time to change my mind but don't think I'd draft either over Goff, Lynch, and Bosa. If those 3 are off the board and there's no trade back options you can then look at Jack or Smith with Hargraves close in the picture as well.

 

[Tobal]

It's too early to call this a weak top 10, guys will rise that no one knows. Ware, Mack people weren't talking about these guys at this point. Let's give the weak top 10 stuff a rest until after the senior bowl at least.

 

[reddyuta]

I would not even consider Jack in the first with his injury.I really like Smith but a top 5 pick is a bit rich for him too.

 

[sureletsrace]

I'd go with Smith. Jack is a great coverage LB, but I think Smith has the better all around game. Jack's best asset is that he can cover TEs down the field, but we will be able to handle that with Jones from the safety position.

 

[btcutter]

I'd go with Smith. Jack is a great coverage LB, but I think Smith has the better all around game. Jack's best asset is that he can cover TEs down the field, but we will be able to handle that with Jones from the safety position.

Not sure about that. Jack is more physical than Smith and can cover. Smith is ideal Will in this D but don't think he can play MIKE or SLB. Ability to play all three position and cover is premium in current NFL. Jack gotten bigger this year without losing speed.

 

[btcutter]

I would not even consider Jack in the first with his injury.I really like Smith but a top 5 pick is a bit rich for him too.

Do you even know what injury he had? It's not ACL or achilles. He probably would have came back at end of the year but decided to declare instead given risks.

 

[sureletsrace]

Not sure about that. Jack is more physical than Smith and can cover. Smith is ideal Will in this D but don't think he can play MIKE or SLB. Ability to play all three position and cover is premium in current NFL. Jack gotten bigger this year without losing speed.

Do you think Jack can play all 3 LB spots?

 

[Sydla]

Not sure about that. Jack is more physical than Smith and can cover. Smith is ideal Will in this D but don't think he can play MIKE or SLB. Ability to play all three position and cover is premium in current NFL. Jack gotten bigger this year without losing speed.

One of the interesting things about this whole debate is how some act like Jack is such a better athlete than Smith.

Don't be surprised if Smith "out combines" Jack.

 

[darthseinfeld]

Not in love with taking a LB top 5, but like TM1110 said its a weak top 10 and both a very good bets to be 10 year pro bowlers.

 

[Macnalty]

One of the interesting things about this whole debate is how some act like Jack is such a better athlete than Smith.

Don't be surprised if Smith "out combines" Jack.

I see Myles as more of ILB and Smith as OLB both good choices if we have to choose LB. Both can cover which is a coveted asset.
I do agree drafting in the top five these guys as options might make one trade back. Cal is playing today see if you are still in love with Goff after this game.
Best value at our pick, the left tackle Laremy Tunsil from Ole Miss he is a real talent.

 

[Leadbelly]

I think i'm in the minority. I don't really like Smith much. I'm not saying he will bust. I just don't think he's someone who you build a defense around. I don't think he's as good as Jack but he might be drafted earlier due to Jack's injury.

For a 4-3 D, I think it only makes sense to take a LB top 10 if there's a likelihood of that LB being a focal point of your defense. Usually that's a MLB but sometimes a Von Miller or Eric Barr comes along and you make an exception. I think Jack is in that category and Smith isn't.

Myles Jack is an alpha. He's born for war. He's Dez. Jack's mentality is to go thru people. Smith's is to go around them. Jack jacks people backward. Smith is more of a drag down tackler. Both are great in coverage but Jack could probably play S. As we get closer to the draft, I'm betting there will be more anonymous scouts whispering comparisons of Smith with guys like Donnie Edwards or Derrick Johnson or maybe Karlos Dansby. Good players but not focal points. Jack, if he's up around 240-245, can be a do-everything MLB you build around.

This draft looks kind of similar to 2008 where Jerod Mayo and Keith Rivers were top 10 picks.

Rivers went 9th to CIN = Smith
Mayo went 10th to NE = Jack

 

[CATCH17]

How many LB's are ever worth a top 5 pick? Especially a 4-3 LB.

 

[Sydla]

I see Myles as more of ILB and Smith as OLB both good choices if we have to choose LB. Both can cover which is a coveted asset.
I do agree drafting in the top five these guys as options might make one trade back. Cal is playing today see if you are still in love with Goff after this game.
Best value at our pick, the left tackle Laremy Tunsil from Ole Miss he is a real talent.

Fo me, I'd rather go DL or DB before taking either Smith or Jack if we go defense in Rd 1.

 

[Sydla]

I think i'm in the minority. I don't really like Smith much. I'm not saying he will bust. I just don't think he's someone who you build a defense around. I don't think he's as good as Jack but he might be drafted earlier due to Jack's injury.

For a 4-3 D, I think it only makes sense to take a LB top 10 if there's a likelihood of that LB being a focal point of your defense. Usually that's a MLB but sometimes a Von Miller or Eric Barr comes along and you make an exception. I think Jack is in that category and Smith isn't.

Myles Jack is an alpha. He's born for war. He's Dez. Jack's mentality is to go thru people. Smith's is to go around them. Jack jacks people backward. Smith is more of a drag down tackler. Both are great in coverage but Jack could probably play S. As we get closer to the draft, I'm betting there will be more anonymous scouts whispering comparisons of Smith with guys like Donnie Edwards or Derrick Johnson or maybe Karlos Dansby. Good players but not focal points. Jack, if he's up around 240-245, can be a do-everything MLB you build around.

This draft looks kind of similar to 2008 where Jerod Mayo and Keith Rivers were top 10 picks.

Rivers went 9th to CIN = Smith
Mayo went 10th to NE = Jack

People are really selling Smith short if they think he's a non-physical LB that just runs around and pulls guys down from behind.

 

[Leadbelly]

People are really selling Smith short if they think he's a non-physical LB that just runs around and pulls guys down from behind.

He may be the more in-control player and I'm marking him down unfairly, but he's not a violent hitter like Jack. He doesn't come up as aggressively as Jack.

Among Jack's negatives, he'll guess or bite on fakes because of his aggressiveness and take himself out of the play far more often. Smith is more mature, stable player to me but I kind of chalk that up to Smith being much more experienced. It may be Jack never gets that flaw under control. Ernie Sims was like that in college and 7 years as a pro he was still like that.

 

[Leadbelly]

**Edit: "Much more experienced" is probably overstating it. More like Smith was focused entirely on LB while Jack's attention was split between LB and RB.

 

[Sydla]

Again you are selling Smith short if you think he doesn't come up aggressively and hit guys.

 

[AzorAhai]

I like Jack better. I have them graded out very similarly in every other area, but Jack has a clear edge in the coverage department. He is the best coverage LB I have graded since I started watching tape. For me, that high of a pick being a LBer, not only do they need to be an elite prospect, but elite in coverage. Thats Jack for me.