Another cornerback went off the board for the Chicago Bears in 2023 NFL Draft. They selected Minnesota’s Terell Smith with the No. 165 pick in the fifth round. It’s the second cornerback picked by the Bears in the draft after they chose Tyrique Stevenson out of Miami (FL) in the second round.
Smith played five seasons for the Golden Gophers, taking advantage of the extra year of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He started 29 games and recorded four interceptions and one forced fumble during his career. In 2022, Smith had arguably his best season with 38 total tackles (4.5 for a loss) as well as two interceptions and five pass breakups.
Here are a few things to know about Smith and what he brings to the Bears.
1. Smith shined at the East-West Shrine Bowl
Smith’s final season with Minnesota was good, but uneven as well. Luckily for him, he finished the year out on a high note out in Las Vegas at the annual East-West Shrine Bowl. According to Pro Football Focus, Smith was the highest rated defensive back at the Shrine Bowl with a grade of 86.0. He was also the fastest defensive player, clocked at 21.37 MPH per Zebra Technologies. It was a standout day for him which helped boost his draft stock.
At 6’0, 204 pounds, Terell Smith has been ⤵️
📈HIGHEST graded DB at Shrine Bowl per @PFF (86.0)
💨FASTEST defensive player at Shrine Bowl per @ZebraTechnology (21.37 MPH)
🤯Ran a 4.41 40-yard/1.50 10-yard at the #NFLCombine#ShrineBowl #PathToTheDraft 🏈 pic.twitter.com/irrON04O2O— East-West Shrine Bowl (@ShrineBowl) March 10, 2023
2. He's missed games due to injuries
The Bears made health and durability a focus during this draft, but Smith doesn’t exactly fit that mold. He’s missed at least two games each season due to various injuries. Medical red flags could be one of the reasons he fell from his initial projection of being selected by the fourth round. If he stays healthy though, he brings another physical presence the team’s secondary that could prove to be a boost.
3. He almost left Minnesota
Smith had a turbulent time with Minnesota during his collegiate career, losing his starting spot and struggling to stay on the field. According to ESPN’s Matt Miller via Andy Greder of the Pioneer Press, it got to a point where Smith was receiving multiple offers to transfer out to another program. But Smith weathered the storm and bounced back his final year, which shows the ability to handle adversity. That’s a quality the Bears must have appreciated.
Detail: ESPN’s Matt Miller shared former #Gophers and now #Bears cornerback Terell Smith had offers to leave via NCAA transfer portal:
Quote: “PJ Fleck thought this guy was going to leave. … He didn’t do it, which speaks to maturity, leadership he is going to bring” to Chicago.
— Andy Greder (@andygreder) April 29, 2023
