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2018 NFL Scouting Combine: 49ers look for linebackers

By Joseph Naki

BLACKSBURG, VA - OCTOBER 28: Linebacker Tremaine Edmunds #49 and safety Reggie Floyd #21 of the Virginia Tech Hokies tackle running back Shaun Wilson #29 of the Duke Blue Devils in the first half at Lane Stadium on October 28, 2017 in Blacksburg, Virginia. (Photo by Michael Shroyer/Getty Images)
BLACKSBURG, VA - OCTOBER 28: Linebacker Tremaine Edmunds #49 and safety Reggie Floyd #21 of the Virginia Tech Hokies tackle running back Shaun Wilson #29 of the Duke Blue Devils in the first half at Lane Stadium on October 28, 2017 in Blacksburg, Virginia. (Photo by Michael Shroyer/Getty Images) /
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Roquan Smith, Georgia

Most of the writers here at Niner Noise are in love with Roquan Smith of Georgia. And why wouldn’t they fall in love with a talent compared to Deion Jones of the Atlanta Falcons?

Barely 6-foot-1, weighing in at 236 pounds of pure unadulterated football beast, Smith brings passion for the game, a skill level that ranks him among the best linebackers in the country and would provide an NFL team with a plug-and-play guy off the bat.

I personally like Smith as a player, but I do not think he would fit in Robert Saleh’s 4-3 scheme.

At the college level, elite linebackers are able to avoid blocks, move in space without being covered up. But more importantly, they can overwhelm college linemen with little to no effort.

In the NFL, there are elite linemen who are strong, agile and able to get to the second level in a heartbeat. And while Smith would be in on a lot of plays from scrimmage, he will have to take on NFL guards head on in gaps (something he avoids) and tackles on the perimeter who move and hit like Mack trucks.

Smith is a baller, it is that simple. From my chair, I would take the next two linebackers before selecting the former Bulldog.

This is not “beat up on Smith” day.

If John Lynch and the 49ers do take the talented linebacker, he will certainly have my full support, and I’m sure the entire fanbase will be happy with the selection.