Wendell Smallwood NFL Draft 2016: Scouting Report, Grade for Eagles Rookie

POSITIVES

A junior entry into the 2016 NFL draft, Wendell Smallwood was the Big 12 rushing champion with 1,519 yards. A versatile runner with little wear and tear on his frame, Smallwood rushed for 2,462 yards and 12 touchdowns at West Virginia. He also caught 68 passes for 618 yards. As a change-of-pace runner and slot receiver, Smallwood has NFL value.

His 4.47 speed on the track is backed up on film. He's an aggressive player when hitting the hole and does so with anger. Smallwood's natural leverage advantage allows him to play with low pads, which helps push him ahead for plus yardage after contact.

His vision on the go is a positive, and Smallwood is instinctive enough to find creases and then get skinny to slip through the cracks. Coaches rave about his football IQ and how he helps the quarterback before the snap. "Disciplined" is how one WVU coach described him to us.

You don't want to take him off the field when it comes time to throw the ball. Smallwood is a dangerous receiver and can operate from the backfield and the slot.

NEGATIVES

There is a bit of an off-field situation teams must check into, but it looks more like a bad decision than a sign of bad character. Smallwood was arrested on a witness tampering charge after he allegedly tried to get a witness to change their statement regarding seeing one of his friends fatally shoot someone. Smallwood's charges were dropped when his friend pleaded guilty.

Smallwood had steady stats but few scores (11) in the last two years. Can he be effective when the field gets tight and tough yards are needed? That's a big on-field question mark. A solution would be adding strength to his narrow, thin frame—but would that sacrifice speed?

Smallwood's vision allows him to find creases, but you can watch an entire game and not be wowed by any of his runs. He's consistent but hasn't been a home run hitter often enough. This was backed up by his performance at the scouting combine, where he tested as an average athlete across the board.

COMBINE RESULTS

Height: 5'10 4/8"

Weight: 208 lbs.

40 Time: 4.47s

3-Cone: 6.83s

Short Shuttle: 4.28s

PRO COMPARISON: Cyrus Gray, Denver Broncos
FINAL GRADE: 5.40/9.00 (Round 7—Backup Caliber)