Defensive Visits Coming for Bears

Michigan defensive lineman and Notre Dame safety slated for Halas Hall visits per reports.

Two players have been slated for visits to Halas Hall who might not seem direct needs but could nonetheless be key defensive contributors if drated by the Bears.

According to NFL.com's Ian Rapoport, Michigan's massive defensive lineman Mazi Smith will have a top-30 visit with the Bears.

Also on Wednesday, The Draft Network reported Notre Dame safety Brandon Joseph will make a top-30 visit to Halas Hall, as well.

The Bears need help at defensive tackle but normally a 6-foot-2 3/4, 323-pound player doesn't fit the profile of the type who play vital parts in their one-gap scheme.

However, it's possible Smith could be a unique talent who can play anywhere on the interior and in a one-gap or two-gap system. His participation on obvious pass rushing downs would be the real question.

DT Mazi Smith, Michigan

*Wide stance and base
*Plays into OL
*POWERFUL
*Stack and shed ability with very good hand placement
*Gets under OL’s pads
*SHOCK in his hands
*Versatility and athleticism to align at NT and some 3t situations
*Consistently creates stalemates on combo… pic.twitter.com/TCAJ8bvYUc

— Erik Turner Cover 1 (@ErikJTurner) April 3, 2023

The reason Smith might be able to do this is his great strength and athletic ability.

Smith didn't run the 40 at the combine, but did participate in one at a campus pro day and turned in a time extremely fast for a 323-pounder at 4.85 seconds. Since it is pro day, its an unofficial time and will naturally be in question.

What can't be questioned is his reps in the bench press. He did 34, which was the highest total at the combine for any position. It's nowhere near the record set by former Bears defensive tackle Stephen Paea of 49 in 2011, but a good amount nonetheless.

He has benched a maximum of 550 pounds and actually did 22 reps at 325 pounds even though the combine standard is 225 pounds. So he's not just a big slug in the middle, although he has been deployed at every defensive line spot between zero technique to three technique.

In the Bears scheme his best fit would be one technique between guard and center because his pass rush is limited despite his athleticism, say scouting reports.

Bruce Feldman of The Athletic does a "Freaks List" for every college season and Smith was No. 1 on the 2022 list because of his combination of strength and agility.

NFL Draft Bible's assessment of Smith indicates why he would be relegated to one technique and not the critical three in this Bears system.

"Unfortunately, Smith is often late off the snap and lacks an explosive first step," NFLDB said. "There are instances where he’s washed down the line, and he struggles to generate displacement against double teams. He has good but not elite arm length and deploys his hands late. Smith still needs to refine his arsenal of pass-rush moves and counters."

As a result, NFLDB concludes, "...it's unknown if he'll be a two-down or three-down player at the next level."

NFL DRAFT BIBLE ASSESSMENT OF MICHIGAN'S MAZI SMITH

Smith still reportedly has 20 teams to make top-30 or local visits to, so this visit with the Bears isn't solidifying anything toward his selection in the draft.

NFLDB rates Smith as the ninth best interior defensive lineman in the draft and a probable third-rounder.

They also rate Joseph as a third-rounder and as the 10th best safety in the draft.

NFL DRAFT BIBLE REPORT ON S BRANDON JOSEPH

"I think I can be a very versatile player on defense, whether it's rolling down, whether it's playing deep, being a rolldown nickel, possibly a dime in the box, back deep," Joseph told reporters at the combine. "I'm excited to see where a team thinks I can fit. I think I can do a lot of things."

Joseph played only one year for Notre Dame, made an interception and 30 tackles in 10 games. This came after he played the first three years for Northwestern and made nine interceptions and six pass break-ups to go with 129 tackles.

At 6-foot, 200 pounds, he is not really a box safety and is best used deeper in coverage.

"The way we did our safeties at Notre Dame, I was playing both sides, more left so I could play field or boundary," he said. "It really depends on formation and call and whether I'm going to rolling down or rolling back."

Joseph wasn't particularly effective at the combine with 4.62 seconds in the 40-yard dash but had a quick 1.56-second 10-yard split. His vertical leap was only 30 1/2 inches.

The Bears are in the market for safety help because backup DaAndre Houston-Carson hasn't been signed back to the roster. Rookie seventh-round safety Elijah Hicks saw time only briefly last year with spotty coverage results. 

Starter Eddie Jackson is coming off a strong, yet injury shortened season and his contract expires after the 2024 season.

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