The San Francisco 49ers are among the teams to formally meet with Minnesota cornerback Terell Smith ahead of next month's NFL Draft, per Justin Melo of The Draft Network. The incoming NFL rookie also met with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Miami Dolphins, and Jacksonville Jaguars.
San Francisco lost defensive backs Emmanuel Moseley (Lions), Jimmie Ward (Texans), and Tarvarius Moore (Packers) in free agency but added former Atlanta Falcons cornerback Isaiah Oliver.
Smith is from Snellville, GA. He earned a pre-draft grade of 6.29 from NFL.com, which equates to an "eventual average starter," per the site's 8-point grading scale.
At the NFL Scouting Combine, the 6' 0 1/2" and 204-pound Smith had a 40-time of 4.41 seconds, a vertical jump of 34 inches, a broad jump of 120 inches, a 7.02-second three-cone drill time, 14 reps in the bench press, and a 20-yard shuttle time of 4.3 seconds. His other measurables include an arm length of 32 7/8 inches and hands measuring 9 inches.
Lance Zierlein of NFL.com wrote the following within his scouting report:
Ascending cornerback with an outstanding combination of size, speed and toughness. Smith's technique and game film improved from 2021 to 2022. He stays low and patient in his backpedal. He has above-average footwork for a cornerback his size, which allows him to mirror the release and stay connected to the deep route. He's experienced in playing all forms of coverage, but he's best from press and off-man. Smith is a reliable tackler with a playing disposition that matches expectations for NFL run support. The on-ball production is a little light, but the traits and talent are in place for a starting role at outside cornerback in the future or a transition to safety.
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