DeAndre Smelter was quite an intriguing pick in the 2015 draft. If he didn't have his ACL injury, he would have been gone by the 2nd or 3rd round most likely. Thanks to the Trent Baalke redshirt program, Smelter was available in the 4th round. From his physicality to his competitiveness on the field, Smelter shows a lot of likeliness to Anquan Boldin, and if Boldin does indeed leave, we may have an heir waiting. There is of course that ACL issue where he may not be back to the level he was at before the injury, but all signs point to Smelter really feeling ready to roll.
Smelter was a guest on 680 The Fan recently and gave some thoughts on the San Francisco 49ers, his redshirt season and what to expect moving forward. Here's what he had to say about his professional football career:
On if he could have played late in the year [2015 season]:
I feel like I could have. That's probably just the competitor in me. It was probably the smartest thing I didn't. Got me a couple more months of training to put under my belt.
Where he sees himself fitting on this team in the receiver position:
I feel I can fit in well. Especially, I don't know much about what Coach Kelly likes to do, but I have a general idea of where I can fit in with that offense, but at the same time I feel like we have opportunities for a lot of guys to do well too. It's going to be a fun season.
His thoughts of a hurry up offense, and the opportunity to put up numbers:
It's a great opportunity. I'm pretty sure a lot of people have heard about Coach Kelly and what he can do, especially with an offense. It's exciting, I know a lot of guys are going to be eager to be going out there and make plays, you know, just get out there on the field, so that's what I'm looking forward to.
On what he does best as a receiver:
I feel like just tracking the ball with my eyes. I feel like having that baseball background, It's crazy because I take a pitching mentality at wide receiver because when you're on the mound you're one on one with the hitter. If you haven't read up on what that hitter likes or has tendencies, you won't know and you're going to end up throwing him a inside fastball when you should have thrown low and away. That's the same way, I study a DB like I'd study a hitter. I think from that middle part that baseball background helps me out a lot.
On his speed coming out of college:
What's crazy is I never ran a 40. Because when we were always running a 40, when we'd do it at 'Tech [Georgia Tech -- Smelter's alma mater] in the spring, I'd be playing baseball. Football has always been the game for me is just: I just like to go out and play. I think I'm one of those guys that if If somebody else next to me is fast, I'm as fast as him.
On his greatest moment on the football field:
I would have to say my best moment on the football field would be when we beat Clemson this year at home. Because that was a game I had marked on the calendar, especially from 2013, we went up to the bears, I played terrible. Granted that was my first year playing. That whole offseason I was like "If we want to do anything right, we have to beat Miami, we have to beat Clemson
What he thought of Jim Tomsula:
I like Coach Tomsula. Every time I got a chance to talk to him, he was always very encouraging to me. He always told me to keep working hard. He knew I wasn't with everybody out on the field, but he could tell how hard I was working off the field to get there. I think Coach Tomsula is a great guy, and he definitely helped me out my first year.
On Chip Kelly and nutrition/sleep and if he's heard anything on what he expects:
We really haven't, we heard about it from just around, but, you probably won't know more about it until you check in. We go out I think April 4th.
How does he live in San Francisco on 4th round money?:
I don't have a roomate, but I live pretty close to the stadium. I figured I'd live close to the stadium, since that's where I'll spend most of my time. It's nice, it's a lot different from the east coast. I'm not use to seeing mountains and wineries and bridges.