Redskins draft S Kamren Curl and DE James Smith-Williams in round 7
April 25, 2020
by Steve Thomas
The Washington Redskins drafted safety Kamren Curl from the University of Arkansas with the second pick of round 7, #216 overall, and North Carolina St. defensive end James Smith-Williams with pick 15, #229 overall.
Curl was measured at 6’1” and 206 pounds at the NFL Combine. Curl spent three seasons with the Razorbacks as a 3 year starter, playing in a total of 34 games, making 175 tackles, including 105 solo and 4 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, and 2 touchdowns. In 2019, he made 76 tackles, with 46 solo. He was suspended for the final game of his sophomore season for allegedly socializing with Mississippi St.’s dance team before Arkansas game against the Bulldogs.
At the NFL Combine, he was unofficially timed at 4.6 seconds in the 40 yard dash, did an impressive 24 reps at the bench press, and jumped 34.5 inches in the vertical leap and 10’5” inches in the standing broad jump.
Curl doesn’t have plus-level athleticism, elite speed or burst, but he does possess quality zone cover skills. Analysts believe that he may be best in a split safety system such as a cover 2 because of his physical limitations. He has good size, plays in physical fashion, and also has collegiate experience at corner. Curl is also known to be a good tackler, which has been a weak spot for the Washington defense for several years. His principal limiting factor is his lack of speed and burst. Curl is a depth selection and will have to compete with a variety of other Redskins players at special teams in order to make the roster as a rookie.
Smith-Williams, 6’4” and 265 pounds, is originally from Raleigh, North Carolina. He spent 5 years at North Carolina St., redshirting his 2015 freshman year because of an injury. In total, he played 29 games, with 82 tackles, including 38 solo and 12 tackles for loss, and 8 sacks. He was plagued with injuries throughout his collegiate career, which is the reason why is only played 29 games. In 2019, he played 6 games, missing 7 games due to a foot injury, making 20 tackles, including 9 solo and 1 tackle for loss, and 1 sack.
Smith-Williams is highly intelligent and has had significant academic success, with a weighted 4.9 GPA in high school. He graduated from college in December, 2018. He did second internship with IBM and has been offered a permanent job with the tech company after his football career ends. His college head coach selected him to wear jersey no. 1 in recognition of his outstanding character and leadership ability.
At the NFL Combine, Smith-Williams ran the 40 yard dash in an unofficial 4.6 seconds, did 28 bench press reps, jumped 32 inches in the vertical leap and 10’3” in the standing broad jump, and ran the 3 cone drill in 7.35 seconds and the 20 yard short-shuttle in 4.52 seconds.
Smith-Williams is known as strong, physical power rusher, with his obvious strength evidenced by his quality bench press number. Analysts view him as a 4-3 end, which is the Redskins’ new defensive front scheme, so he should fit in with the team’s defensive plans. He reportedly needs significant work on his technique and is therefore a project, but his intellect and mature demeanor seems to make him an ideal candidate to maximize his abilities as a pro. Smith-Williams’ obvious problem is his long injury history. He simply cannot stay on the field, which is clearly a major reason why he was available in the middle of round 7.