Quote:It’s tough to know where to start in the tale of Sutton Smith’s football journey, but the time he got “screwed over” is as good as any.

Smith arrived at Northern Illinois in 2015 as a running back. He had his moments in fall camp his true freshman year, breaking a few long touchdown runs. Then he had to go and make a play that changed everything following a quarterback’s fumbled snap.

“The safety picked it up and I came out of nowhere and laid him out,” Smith told 247Sports. “Next thing you know I was in (head) coach (Rod) Carey’s office and was told, ‘Hey, you’re getting moved to linebacker.’”

Smith is no longer a linebacker, nor is he a running back.

Three years later, Smith is an All-American defensive end. The redshirt junior is the nation’s returning leader in sacks (14) and tackles for loss (29.5). PFF College graded Smith as a 95.3 last year on a 100-point scale, a mark higher than all but one defender (Maurice Hurst) in the country.

https://247sports.com/Article/Northern-I...120206062/

As incredible a season as he had at DE, I still would like to see them hand him the ball a couple times in the backfield. :-) It would be interesting, that's for sure.

If he really maintained his speed at 240 lbs, that's phenomenal.

A guy like Sutton Smith doesn't come along that often through DeKalb.

He's special to watch and just alone is worth the price of a ticket. Tell your friends.

Appreciate this upcoming season with Smith and Sharping. Both of those guys will be playmakers at the next level.

(07-30-2018 12:26 PM)RedandBlackAttack Wrote:  Appreciate this upcoming season with Smith and Sharping. Both of those guys will be playmakers at the next level.

+1. I think by the end of the season (if he stays healthy) Sharping will be a late first rounder with our schedule. If he protects like he has been the past years against FSU, Iowa and the others this season, will impress even more.

(07-30-2018 12:45 PM)HuskiePride12 Wrote:  

(07-30-2018 12:26 PM)RedandBlackAttack Wrote:  Appreciate this upcoming season with Smith and Sharping. Both of those guys will be playmakers at the next level.

+1. I think by the end of the season (if he stays healthy) Sharping will be a late first rounder with our schedule. If he protects like he has been the past years against FSU, Iowa and the others this season, will impress even more.

Absolutely. I think both Smith and Sharping could be first rounders with a big season and this schedule. Won’t be an easy road, but they have the talent and there’s a shot. Pass rushers and those that block them are two of the most coveted positions in the NFL. Would be huge for the program.


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(07-30-2018 01:09 PM)NIU32 Wrote:  

(07-30-2018 12:45 PM)HuskiePride12 Wrote:  

(07-30-2018 12:26 PM)RedandBlackAttack Wrote:  Appreciate this upcoming season with Smith and Sharping. Both of those guys will be playmakers at the next level.

+1. I think by the end of the season (if he stays healthy) Sharping will be a late first rounder with our schedule. If he protects like he has been the past years against FSU, Iowa and the others this season, will impress even more.

Absolutely. I think both Smith and Sharping could be first rounders with a big season and this schedule. Won’t be an easy road, but they have the talent and there’s a shot. Pass rushers and those that block them are two of the most coveted positions in the NFL. Would be huge for the program.


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That would be pretty huge for the program to have 2 1st round picks. Would Sutton leave early though?

(07-30-2018 05:43 PM)BDB5yp Wrote:  

(07-30-2018 01:09 PM)NIU32 Wrote:  

(07-30-2018 12:45 PM)HuskiePride12 Wrote:  

(07-30-2018 12:26 PM)RedandBlackAttack Wrote:  Appreciate this upcoming season with Smith and Sharping. Both of those guys will be playmakers at the next level.

+1. I think by the end of the season (if he stays healthy) Sharping will be a late first rounder with our schedule. If he protects like he has been the past years against FSU, Iowa and the others this season, will impress even more.

Absolutely. I think both Smith and Sharping could be first rounders with a big season and this schedule. Won’t be an easy road, but they have the talent and there’s a shot. Pass rushers and those that block them are two of the most coveted positions in the NFL. Would be huge for the program.


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That would be pretty huge for the program to have 2 1st round picks. Would Sutton leave early though?

He gets his bachelors degree after this year. If he’s a top 1-3 round pick he’s good as gone. Wouldn’t make sense to risk injury and play another year if his stock is at an all time high


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Gotta hand it to Carey and the coaches for finding him. What an unexpected windfall.

(07-30-2018 05:46 PM)NIU32 Wrote:  

(07-30-2018 05:43 PM)BDB5yp Wrote:  

(07-30-2018 01:09 PM)NIU32 Wrote:  

(07-30-2018 12:45 PM)HuskiePride12 Wrote:  

(07-30-2018 12:26 PM)RedandBlackAttack Wrote:  Appreciate this upcoming season with Smith and Sharping. Both of those guys will be playmakers at the next level.

+1. I think by the end of the season (if he stays healthy) Sharping will be a late first rounder with our schedule. If he protects like he has been the past years against FSU, Iowa and the others this season, will impress even more.

Absolutely. I think both Smith and Sharping could be first rounders with a big season and this schedule. Won’t be an easy road, but they have the talent and there’s a shot. Pass rushers and those that block them are two of the most coveted positions in the NFL. Would be huge for the program.


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That would be pretty huge for the program to have 2 1st round picks. Would Sutton leave early though?

He gets his bachelors degree after this year. If he’s a top 1-3 round pick he’s good as gone. Wouldn’t make sense to risk injury and play another year if his stock is at an all time high


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He won’t go to the draft early. I think he’ll be a mid round pick after his senior year at best. As of right now he has no determined position in the league. If a team is gonna take a chance on him as an outside linebacker or even 3 4 d end they’re gonna wanna see how he develops as long as they can.

(07-30-2018 08:34 PM)Suptroop Wrote:  

(07-30-2018 05:46 PM)NIU32 Wrote:  

(07-30-2018 05:43 PM)BDB5yp Wrote:  

(07-30-2018 01:09 PM)NIU32 Wrote:  

(07-30-2018 12:45 PM)HuskiePride12 Wrote:  +1. I think by the end of the season (if he stays healthy) Sharping will be a late first rounder with our schedule. If he protects like he has been the past years against FSU, Iowa and the others this season, will impress even more.

Absolutely. I think both Smith and Sharping could be first rounders with a big season and this schedule. Won’t be an easy road, but they have the talent and there’s a shot. Pass rushers and those that block them are two of the most coveted positions in the NFL. Would be huge for the program.


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That would be pretty huge for the program to have 2 1st round picks. Would Sutton leave early though?

He gets his bachelors degree after this year. If he’s a top 1-3 round pick he’s good as gone. Wouldn’t make sense to risk injury and play another year if his stock is at an all time high


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He won’t go to the draft early. I think he’ll be a mid round pick after his senior year at best. As of right now he has no determined position in the league. If a team is gonna take a chance on him as an outside linebacker or even 3 4 d end they’re gonna wanna see how he develops as long as they can.

If he puts up another 15+ sacks this year and has especially big games vs our OOC schedule I’d be shocked if he stayed. What else would he have to prove at the college level? Risk goin back and getting injured or having a down year, why??

He’d be either a 4/3 DE or a 3/4 OLB. The OLB move didn’t work out for Larry, but Sutton is far more athletic. I think that’s where he ends up at the next level. He’s basically the exact same size as James Harrison right now and is already squatting 500 lbs and putting up 30 reps on bench. He’s strong enough to make the transition either way.

Not saying he is going to leave early, just saying that I’d be shocked if he didn’t after having another season like he did last year.


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IMO, Corchran is a better NFL prospect than Sutton.

(07-30-2018 11:07 PM)NIU05 Wrote:  IMO, Corchran is a better NFL prospect than Sutton.

Lmao wuuuuut?

(07-30-2018 11:07 PM)NIU05 Wrote:  IMO, Corchran is a better NFL prospect than Sutton.

How??? Please explain


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(07-30-2018 11:07 PM)NIU05 Wrote:  IMO, Corchran is a better NFL prospect than Sutton.

Corcoran has decent size and is a very solid player, but he’s just not quite athletic or explosive enough to go next level IMO. He’s certainly going to get his chance to show how good he can be this season.

in 2017, Sutton Smith's 1st season playing DE, he had 63 tackles, 30 tackles for a loss, 14 sacks and 2 TDS. In Josh Corcoran's ENTIRE CAREER at NIU he has 60 tackles, 15 for a loss, and 6.5 sacks (thru 23 games and 3 seasons). Outside of being a couple inches taller and weighing 10 more lbs, I'm totally miffed at how there is any argument whastover that Corcoran is the better NFL prospect. I think Josh is a very solid DE for us, but production wise, hes not even close to the DE's we've had here the past 10 years

(07-30-2018 11:10 AM)NIU007 Wrote:  As incredible a season as he had at DE, I still would like to see them hand him the ball a couple times in the backfield. :-) It would be interesting, that's for sure.

If he really maintained his speed at 240 lbs, that's phenomenal.

I agree. That would be fun!