LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. -- 'Dawg fans were lined up all the way down the first base side of the concourse at Coolray Field for a chance to meet and get an autograph from future NFL Draft first rounder Roquan Smith.
Some just wanted to shake his hand. Others took the time to thank him for all he had done with the Bulldogs, especially helping them get to the national championship last season.
Fans decked out in red and black attempted to pick his brain on where he may end up in the draft, beginning April 26. He doesn't have a say.
One fan told him he's probably going to end up on the wrong coast:
"Looks like 49ers that are giving you a lot of love?" the fan asked as Smith smiled and signed an autograph. "What about the east coast?" he answered.
But he's seen the mock drafts like everyone else.
The Butkus Award winner is largely predicted to go to the San Francisco 49ers, who may be in need of a linebacker after Reuben Foster was charged with multiple domestic violence and weapons counts on Thursday. Another popular projection is Smith going to the Oakland Raiders and playing for Jon Gruden who is resurrecting his coaching career.
Smith's met with the 49ers, as well as a few others.
"I take them all in at the same rate because at the end of the day it’s just business," Smith told 11Alive's Alec McQuade. "Pretty much all teams just want to get to know you better as a person and just know your football IQ."
The Montezuma, Georgia native has never lived outside of the Peach State.
"It’ll be something different," Smith said when asked about picking up his life and heading west. "Pretty much wherever I go, regardless of whether it’s the west coast or east coast, I pretty much never lived in either of those cities. It’ll be an adjustment."
It wasn't too long ago Smith was leading the Bulldogs' defense. Smith was the team's leading tackler in 2017 with 137 total tackles, 14 for a loss.
He visited the team on Saturday as they were scrimmaging at Sanford Stadium.
"The guys was out there attacking, getting each other better. I think it’s going to be a special year," he said.
The Bulldogs are looking for Smith's replacement. Smart said early in spring practice that no one is going to replace a player like Smith because he's the type of player that only comes around once in a generation.
Natrez Patrick will likely lead the corps from the middle. But who will replace Smith on the weak side is the question, whether it is the guys who played behind Smith like Monty Rice, Tae Crowder, Juwan Taylor or others signees coming in the fall.
"Natrez is working as hard as he can to do everything right and everything we ask," Smart said, adding he's not worried about his status as a starter but his growth since an arrest after the SEC Championship. "We're practicing everybody at linebacker. We're preparing to go forward so we can develop all of our young players."
"They all getting better," Smith said on the linebackers. "All those guys are my boys. I was just with them a couple months ago so actually just seeing those guys, they are chasing their dream just like I’m chasing mine."
Smith will be in Arlington, Texas as the names of the next potential NFL stars are called out one-by-one at AT&T Stadium. The anticipation will be rising for Smith with each team's selection.
"I think I’ll be a bit nervous, but at the end of the day, it’s been a dream of mine since I was a child. Watching on television and just saying like wow," Smith said. "I pictured myself being there but actually just knowing that I’ll be there just seems surreal."
