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Message: <blockquote data-quote="HardRightEdge" data-source="post: 517468">I'm sure there are examples to be found to support your point, which would be anecdotal in any event, but I don't think Justin Smith is one of them.The Bengals took Smith with the #4 pick in the first round in 2001 as a junior.  That's not a developmental pick...that's picking a guy you expect to have rookie impact, which he did.   His Combine weight was 267, not 261, which is not out of the ordinary for a 4-3 DE.  Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that the position he played in college and initially with the Bengals?That he eventually grew to 300 lbs. and into being a stud 3-4 DE/DT was not a developmental breakthrough...it was a case of an outstanding NFL football player gaining weight over the years and thereby becoming even more outstanding at a different position.  This is rare.Jones may or may not gain size and strength in time and he may or may not learn the necessary techniques to play roles unfamiliar to him in college.  The fact remains that your odds are better with a plug-and-play #4 pick like Justin Smith than with a developmental guy like Jones, and there's no waiting for the payoff.  Picking 25 or 30 repeatedly vs. top 10 is a clear handicap.  Over a decade it's bound to erode your chances of accumulating the necessary core of play makers...without going into the FA market which has its own considerable risks.</blockquote>

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