With the No. 159 overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars have picked Arkansas defensive end Chris Smith. For the second time in the fifth round, the Jaguars selected a player that was coached by Gus Bradley in the 2014 Senior Bowl.
At 6'1, 266 pounds, the obvious fit for Smith in Bradley's defense is at the LEO position where he will have the opportunity to be a pass rushing specialist. That was a role he thrived in with the Razorbacks, racking up 21.5 sacks in his final three years with the team.
While he doesn't have a tremendous amount of pass rushing moves or length, SB Nation's Razorbacks blog, Arkansas Fight, raved about his effort level:
Team leader, plays every down with same amount of energy, does not take plays off. Very strong for his size, and has impressive speed in pass rush situations.
The LEO position is hurting for young talent too, as Chris Clemons and Jason Babin are the two expected to split time in the role in 2014. However, the pair will be 32 and 34, respectively, at the beginning of the season, making Smith the player that will be groomed into the role for now. Andre Branch is also on the roster, but he isn't the greatest fit at the position and has struggled to get to the passer in his first two seasons with the team.