Eric DeCosta talks about the role of Chuck Smith in evaluating pass rushers
The Baltimore Ravens have been heavily lauded for their hiring of pass rush guru Chuck Smith as the team’s outside linebackers coach. After selecting outside linebacker Adisa Isaac in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft, Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta was asked if his evaluation of athletic pass rushers has changed because of Chuck Smith.
“I really pay attention to [pass rush coach] Chuck [Smith],” DeCosta said. “when he talks, I listen because he is a great pass-rush specialist, and he’s looking for specific traits, and he gets excited by certain guys, and I like that. I love his enthusiasm. He’s a joy to work with in the draft meetings because you know if he loves a guy, and that’s exciting. That’s what you want as an evaluator and as a guy that organizes the draft. You really want your scouts and your coaches to take ownership of certain guys and get on the table for guys, and Chuck does that, and he’s a great coach. So, if he sees these traits in somebody, I get excited. I think we all saw how our guys developed last year and emerge and what we did, and I think Chuck is a big part of that.”
Smith’s impact was clear in his first season in Baltimore, not only for the outside linebackers but for the entire defensive line. The Ravens led the NFL in sacks with 60 with defensive tackle Justin Madubuike leading the way with 13 — earning him a four-year, $98 million contract from Baltimore. Veteran outside linebackers Jadeveon Clowney and Kyle Van Noy also enjoyed their best seasons from a sack standpoint, totaling 9.5 and 9 sacks respectively.