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Smoke Monday will look to hear his name called in the NFL Draft this weekend.
Monday was a two-year starter for the Tigers. He was named to PFF’s All-SEC Second Team in 2021 and AP’s same list in 2020. Monday recorded five interceptions during his time at Auburn, three of which he returned for touchdowns.
Smoke brings an edge to his game that few other safeties have. He’s a hard-hitting guy that likens to some of the old-school safeties back in the day. However, this did cause a few targeting calls to be thrown his way during his days at Auburn. With the NFL honing in on player safety, Monday will need to calm down on the hard hits a bit when he transitions to the pros.
Here are five teams that should be looking closely at Smoke Monday come draft time.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Auburn to Tampa Bay pipeline has been pretty successful the past few years. Players such as Carlton Davis III, Jamel Dean, John Franklin III, and KJ Britt have all joined the Bucs over the past few drafts. Smoke Monday could join standout safety Antoine Winfield Jr. in the defensive backfield and become a dynamic duo that the NFC South would fear for years to come.
New York Jets
The Jets need everything. New York went out this season and signed veteran safety Jordan Whitehead from Tampa Bay, but if they want to look longterm, Smoke Monday would not be a bad option in the back half of the draft. Smoke would join former Tigers Jamien Sherwood, CJ Uzomah, and Carl Lawson in New York if selected in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Indianapolis Colts
Malik Hooker left the Colts in 2020 and joined the Dallas Cowboys, leaving a hole in one of the safety spots. The Colts seem to have the gritty, smash mouth football identity with players such as Darius Leonard, Jonathan Taylor, Matt Ryan, and others. Smoke Monday is a hard-hitting player that could fill a hole and fit the style the Colts bring to the table.
Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles have little safety and linebacker depth on their roster, which would benefit Smoke Monday. He could come in to training camp and fight for playing time a bit easier in Philadelphia rather than some of the other teams on this list.
Los Angeles Rams
The defending Super Bowl champions do not have many picks in the 2022 NFL Draft, but they could use a safety at one of those picks. Eric Weddle emerged from retirement during the postseason for the Rams due to the lack of depth at the safety position. Now that the 37-year old veteran has called it a career for good, Smoke Monday could come in and fight for playing time in Los Angeles. The Rams also play multiple linebackers due to their 3-4 scheme, so Monday could be a versatile weapon in the box if called upon.
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