2009 has not been kind to Andre Smith.

His year got off to a rotten start, as he was suspended from the University of Alabama’s embarrassing Sugar Bowl loss to Utah. This incident caused questions about his character to surface, and the offensive tackle who had at one point been thought of as a potential no. 1 overall pick was suddenly on the defensive.

He didn’t help his cause any by showing up to the NFL scouting combine out of shape, then refusing to take part in drills before leaving the combine altogether without informing anyone. In just two months, Smith had gone from the draft’s hottest prospect to its most dangerous, as projections began to put Smith somewhere late in the first round.

Since then, however, teams appear to be warming back up to the mercurial lineman. They are remembering how dominant Smith was on the field last season, playing a huge role in the Crimson Tide’s surprise run to the top of the polls. They are remembering his unreal size-quickness combination, that the 6’4”, 332-pounder mauled defenders in the running game and was an impenetrable wall in keeping quarterback John Parker Wilson upright in the passing game.

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