HELLO INDIANAPOLIS

WHAT'S SO SPECIAL ABOUT TEVAUN SMITH?

Tevaun Smith has a need -- a need for speed. Smith, who is originally from Canada, ran a blazing fast 4.38 40 at his Pro Day earlier this spring and as the cliche goes, "you can't teach speed." Smith's 40 time would have been the third-fastest time at the NFL Scouting Combine if he had been invited to that event. Smith, affectionately known as the "Canadian Missile" by Iowa fans, never quite had the monster statistical season that Iowa fans were hoping to see, but he was a very effective deep threat for Iowa over his four years in Iowa City.

WHAT DID HE DO THAT'S SO GREAT?

Well, he set a record for most one-handed catches in a minute -- that was pretty nifty.

But aside from that, what makes Smith great is his ability to stretch the field and make plays downfield. Smith has the speed to get down the field in a hurry, but he's not just pure speed, either -- he has a strong ability to track the ball in the air and go up and get the ball. He was good at high-pointing the ball and even when he didn't bring in the catch, Smith was also very good at drawing pass interference penalties on opposing defenders. He was a weapon in the passing game that opposing defenses always had to account for, which helped the entire offense function more effectively.

STATS:

YEAR GAMES REC YARDS YPC TD 2012 9 3 31 10.3 0 2013 12 24 310 12.9 1 2014 13 43 596 13.9 3 2015 12 32 563 17.6 3 TOTAL 46 102 1500 14.7 7



HOW ARE HIS PHYSICAL ATTRIBUTES?

Well, if you're wondering why you haven't heard more about Smith or why he wasn't taken in the NFL Draft, this section is probably a big part of the reason why. Smith is listed at 6-0, 205 lbs, so he's certainly a bit undersized by NFL standards. His 38" vertical is also good, but not exceptional. Overall, he's a good athlete with very good speed.

PRO DAY RESULTS:

HIGHLIGHTS:

WHAT ABOUT THE BAD?

Smith has good hands, but he wasn't a vacuum when it came to catching the ball -- he was prone to some drops at times. His lack of production at times was also frustrating. In part, that was a function of the Iowa offense -- Iowa plays at a slower tempo (which limits the total number of plays), prefers to run the ball quite a bit, and has focused more on the short-passing game under offensive coordinator Greg Davis. All of that combined to limit opportunities for Smith somewhat. But there have also been times when he seemed to disappear from the game and didn't seem totally engaged. And while he has very good speed overall, he also had some issues getting separation against quick, talented defenders. Smith also has no experience in the kickoff or punt return game, so he may not offer value as a guy who can also help a team in those aspects of the game.

WAS THIS A GOOD SIGNING?

As an undrafted free agent? Sure. The undrafted free agent process is all about taking a flyer on guys and hoping that they can develop into contributors -- that's a role that fits Smith to a "T." Smith has the tools to develop into a contributor for an NFL team as a third or fourth wide receiver -- and potentially more than that in the right system. You can never have enough speed in the passing game and Smith will definitely help in that department.