Minnesota cornerback Terrell Smith was the Bears’ pick at No. 165 in Round 5 on Saturday.
Smith started 29 games over a five-year career — he got an extra season of eligibility because of the coronavirus — with the Golden Gophers. Oddly, he started nine games as a freshman and then not again until 2021. He had two interceptions and two sacks last season.
The 6-foot, 204-pounder is old by draft standards — he turns 24 in July. The Bears are intrigued by his size and speed, though — he was the Georgia State 100-meter champion as a high school junior.
“When you’ve got somebody with those physical skillsets, they don’t have to be perfect — and they can still be right,” Trey Koziol, Bears co-player personnel director, said.
He figures to play special teams and compete for time at outside cornerback.
“At Minnesota we always talk about how special teams wins you a game or lose you a game,” Smith said. “It’s an important part of the game. That’s how I approach it. It’s just like a defensive rep; it’s just as important.”
The Bears picked up the 165th pick earlier in the day. About an hour before the start of the draft, general manager Ryan Poles traded the first pick of Round 4 to the Saints; in exchange, the Bears moved down 12 spots in Round 4 and received the Saints’ pick, No. 165.
Earlier Saturday, the Bears picked Texas running back Roschon Johnson and Cincinnati receiver Tyler Scott in Round 4 and Oregon linebacker Noah Sewell in Round 5.
