The San Francisco 49ers selected Stanford tight end Kaden Smith with the third pick (No. 176 overall) in the sixth round of the 2019 NFL Draft.
Smith caught 47 passes for 635 yards with two touchdowns as a junior in 2018. He registered 70 receptions for 1,049 yards with seven touchdowns over the past two seasons with the Cardinal.
At the NFL Scouting Combine, the 6-foot-5 and 255-pound Smith had a 40-time of 4.92 seconds, a vertical jump of 32 inches, a broad jump of 108 inches, completed the three-cone drill in 78 seconds, 15 reps in the bench press, and a 20-yard shuttle time of 4.47 seconds. Other measurables for Smith include an arm length of 32 1/4 inches and hands that measure 9 5/8 inches.
NFL.com projected Smith to be a sixth-round draft pick.
Lance Zierlein of NFL.com, who compares Smith to Durham Smythe, wrote the following about Smith within his scouting report:
"'Y' tight end who possesses adequate run-blocking talent and safety-blanket ball skills with the ability to rescue contested catches with strong hands and a wide frame. Smith gives good effort as a run blocker but will need to improve his technique and core strength to turn losses into stalemates on the pro level. He has the focus and toughness to work over the middle, but he's unlikely to outfox man coverage. He might not be dynamic enough to rise above TE2 status."
Dane Brugler of The Athletic wrote the following about Smith within his scouting report:
"A one-year starter at Stanford, Smith took over the starting duties from Dalton Schultz and lined up primarily inline and in the slot, finishing 2018 as one of only eight FBS tight ends with 600-plus receiving yards despite missing three games. He was groomed in an offense where blocking is celebrated and will be the sixth Stanford tight end drafted in the last eight years. As a blocker, Smith has clean feet and the competitive mentality required, although he will benefit from continued development of the details, especially with his handwork. As a pass catcher, he doesn't have the explosive traits to uncover at will, but he is coordinated out of breaks with vice grips for hands, meaning he is open, even when he is covered. Overall, Smith has adequate blocking skills and route athleticism, but his above-average technique at the catch point is what separates him, projecting as an NFL starter."
Tony Pauline of Draft Analyst wrote the following about Smith within his scouting report:
"Smith possesses a good frame and natural pass-catching skills but is limited by a lack of speed. He has enough ability to be a second tight end or even a starter in a system that does not require him to run vertical routes, and he could develop into a three-down player at his position."
Kyle Crabbs of The Draft Network wrote the following about Smith within his scouting report:
"Kaden Smith is an intriguing TE prospect, but projects as a player that will need added developmental time before any expectations should be placed on him. Smith is pretty lethargic at the top of his stems and won't inspire as a man beater in routes. Pretty specific skill set for immediate role, wins up seam vs. zone and as a sit-down target vs. soft zone. Smith has skills and promise but shouldn't be tasked to play a large percentage of snaps until he fleshes out his game."
Measurables
Height: 6-5
Weight: 255 lbs.
Arm length: 32 1/4 inches
Hand length: 9 5/8 inches
NFL Scouting Combine
40-time: 4.92 seconds
Vertical: 32 inches
Broad jump: 108 inches
3-cone drill: 78 seconds
Bench press: 15 reps
20-yard shuttle: 4.47 seconds
| College Statistics | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | School | Class | G | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | ||||||||
| 2017 | Stanford | SO | 11 | 23 | 414 | 18.0 | 5 | ||||||||
| 2018 | Stanford | JR | 9 | 47 | 635 | 13.5 | 2 | ||||||||
| Total | Stanford | 70 | 1049 | 15.0 | 7 | ||||||||||
