Thread: Pompei: Lovie Active in Scouting

By Dan Pompei, Tribune reporter 11:27 a.m. CDT, March 28, 2012

PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Chicago Bears coach Lovie Smith has been traveling around the country to look at draft prospects like an area scout in recent weeks. He explained why Wednesday at the NFL meetings.

Smith said he has had more time to attend pro days in part because the Bears haven’t made any changes defensively or on special teams.

“I’m going out a lot more this year than I have,” Smith said. “Some years it’s that way. You look at the landscape.”

Smith said he wants to see as many prospects as possible.

One of his visits was to West Virginia, where he observed Bruce Irvin. The defensive end weighed in at 248 pounds, but Smith said that is plenty big.

“You know the type of defensive ends we play with,” Smith said. “Weight is overrated. I remember I coached Leonard Little at St. Louis. He came out at 237. He played at about 250 at the most. It’s more about the strength than the numbers. As long as a guy can run and he has strength.”

At Georgia Tech, Smith got a good look at Stephen Hill, a 6-4 wide receiver who ran a 4.36 40 yard dash at the combine.

“He’s a fast guy with size,” Smith said. “He has unbelievable ability.”

Hill played in a triple-option offense and finished his career with only 1,248 receiving yards.

“In college it’s what your offense is doing,” Smith said. “If a player like that is in an offense that threw the ball to him every snap, what would he do then? You have to project a little bit on what you think a player can be. He’s in a running offense, so one thing he’s probably worked a lot on is blocking. So that’s a positive coming in.”

Then Smith put his tongue in cheek.

“But he doesn’t have the numbers, so he’s green,” he said. “Why would you want to go on a guy like that?”

Smith saw another fast receiver at Baylor in Kendall Wright. At the combine, Wright ran a 4.61 40 yard dash, but at his pro day he ran a 4.41.

Smith praised Wright for having a great year and said he thinks the faster 40 time is more reflective of the player’s ability.

“When I watch video, I don’t want to see all these bad plays,” he said. “If we’re coaching a guy up to his max, OK, what can he be? It’s about the ceiling, always. This is what he’s capable of doing.”

Smith said there is an added benefit of going to pro days: he is able to watch spring practices.

“If there is a college workout going on, I’m going to work it so I can stay or get in a little early,” he said. “You can see a padded practice now. Some of them are doing different things. I spent an entire day in Baylor to see how Art (Briles) ran their offense -- no huddle, up tempo, getting at the line of scrimmage with 30 seconds left.”

Smith might come away from pro days with more than a draft prospect.

dpompei@tribune.com

Bears' Smith keeping busy eyeing prospects - chicagotribune.com