Seems Ryan Poles May Be Seeking His Own Version Of Dontari Poe

The Kansas City Chiefs had a lot of success over the past decade when it comes to finding good players from unexpected places. Ryan Poles was a big part of that success. Their approach often involved taking standout athletes with good size. One of their biggest surprises was Dontari Poe, the massive defensive tackle from Memphis. Most experts felt he might be worth a late 1st round pick. Kansas City loved his athletic profile so much that they felt comfortable grabbing him at 11th overall.

It’s hard to fault them since Poe became a two-time Pro Bowl nose tackle, helping the Chiefs’ defense become a top 10 unit within a year of his arrival. It was confirmation that taking a great athlete with good size works if you have the right coaching staff in place. Now it appears Poles may have eyes for a player similar to Poe. Ian Rapaport revealed the Bears have been keeping close tabs on Michigan defensive tackle Mazi Smith. His most frequent pro comparison? Yep, Dontari Poe.

“Dontari Poe might be the physical and athletic player comparison for Smith, but more consistency from Smith is needed before he finds the Pro Bowl, as Poe did twice in his career. Smith’s blend of size and quickness is rare. He can punch and control a base block with relative ease. However, he struggles to match the initial movement of move blockers, which diminishes his effectiveness. He has space-eating potential but needs to become more consistent at taking on double teams and securing his gap. Smith’s size and testing could give his draft slotting some juice but he’s more of a Day 2 talent with exciting upside than a plug-and-play starter.”

Ryan Poles’ interest in Smith is hardly a surprise.

The Bears defense was one of the worst in the NFL last season at stopping the run. Yes, they need that coveted interior pass rusher, but it also helps not to have opposing teams able to cram it down your throat whenever they wish. People talk about Tommie Harris back in the 2000s. They often forget how vital the presences of guys like Tank Johnson and Anthony Adams were to his success. Their ability to stop the run and eat up blocks allowed Harris to do what he did best.

That is what Smith did at Michigan. His ability to stand his ground and move blockers around permitted his teammates to have success hunting the quarterback. The best part is he has the athletic upside to become far better at rushing the passer himself. Smith feels like a player that will have a long career in the NFL. He has the build and the athleticism for it. He’s played against the best in the country. Best of all, he’d be coming into a defense that knows how to utilize his talents. Ryan Poles is right to have interest.