Lee Smith Scouting Report

With a tight end like Cody Slate in front of you on the depth chart, it is no wonder Lee Smith is flying under the radar. The transfer from Tennessee suited up for Marshall in 2007 and saw quite a bit of action at the tight end position and on special teams. However, Smith was not the pass catching tight end and only caught two passes for nine yards. The following year Smith earned a few more starts and got a few more opportunities to catch some passes. He ended up ranking sixth on the team with 12 receptions for 89 yards, but it was his blocking that noticeably improved during his sophomore season.

When Slate missed three games in 2009, Smith finally got the opportunity to show his pass catching skills. By this point he was already a fine blocker, but Marshall finally looked to their big 6-6, 267 pound tight end and he responded by catching 23 passes for 335 yards. Despite his size, Smith headed into his senior season without catching a touchdown pass. That streak finally ended. Even though quarterback Brian Anderson pretty much ignored his tight end early in the season, through 11 games Smith is second on the team with 37 receptions for 343 yards. He has also caught three touchdown passes.

There are better pass catching tight ends in this class and there are better blockers in this class too. However, few do both as effectively as Smith. Coming out of a program that has had successful tight ends, Smith should be a good value for some team in the fourth or fifth round.