Smael Mondon Jr., Georgia: 2025 NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
Mondon was a five-star recruit from Paulding County High School in Dallas, Ga. in the class of 2021
Georgia linebacker Smael Mondon Jr. doesn’t meet traditional size thresholds, but he’s an elite athlete with immense upside in coverage. I had a top 100 mark on Mondon in 2023 before he went back to school. Now, he projects as a borderline top 100 selection in the 2025 NFL Draft.
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Smael Mondon Jr., LB Georgia: 2025 NFL Draft Profile
Classification: Senior weakside linebacker from Dallas, Ga.
Background: Mondon was a five-star recruit from Paulding County High School in Dallas, Ga. in the class of 2021. He was the No. 35 recruit according to 247Sports, No. 97 (four-star) for Rivals, and No. 27 for On3.com. ESPN ranked him 11th in the nation with a 90 grade out of 100. In four seasons at Paulding County, Mondon totaled 83 tackles, one interception, a forced fumble, and two fumble recoveries. He played quarterback, running back, and wide receiver, amassing 1,129 all-purpose yards and 15 touchdowns. Mondon was part of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s “Super 11” for 2020. He was selected for the 2021 All-American Bowl. Mondon participated in the 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash, relays, long jump, and triple jump as part of the track and field team. As a sophomore, he posted a 46-foot triple jump and an 11.46 100-meter dash. He also ran a 23.33 200-meter dash and jumped 18-4 in the long jump. Mondon won the 2019 Paulding County Championship in the triple jump. He was born on Feb. 13, 2003.
Injuries & Off-Field: Missed time as a high school senior with a meniscus injury that required surgery, missed 2022 Auburn and Vanderbilt games with a sprained ankle, missed spring practice time in 2023 with an ailing left foot, missed 2023 bowl game with a foot injury, required surgery in spring of 2024 for previous left foot injury, missed four games in 2024 with a foot injury, arrested for racing and reckless driving in summer of 2024 but had charges dismissed and plead guilty to a misdemeanor count of driving too fast
Awards: 2023 Second Team All-SEC
Pros: Special teams experience on the kick return, kick coverage, punt return, punt coverage, and field goal block units, impressive COD and acceleration, sideline-to-sideline range, quick and free flowing athlete, reads and diagnoses pre-snap motion well, patient at second level to not overcommit, patience and vision result in good run fits, speed helps turn outside runs back inside, outraces blockers to the perimeter, quick arm extension to generate temporary block separation and redirect to ball, pops some pulling guards to bounce off blocks, speed and agility to play man on tight ends and running backs, impressive vision and spacing in zone, deciphers and sifts through multiple routes in zone, burst on blitzes, rarely misses tackles
Cons: Penalized four times in 2024, injury history, lean throughout frame, arm length, occasionally collapses down and gives up the edge vs. RPOs, processing to identify correct fits is half a tick slow, stacking and shedding is difficult, size limits ability to play through blocks, lacks size to compete with pulling linemen, pancaked and displaced by tight ends and other lead blockers, big power difference when matched up with Jackson Hawes (2024), pass catchers take advantage of the cushion he leaves in off-man
Overview: Mondon spent most of 2024 operating as a weakside linebacker or overhang defender over the slot, especially when he had the opportunity to match up against tight ends. He played more snaps at MIKE in previous years. Mondon has an easy path to playing time in the NFL since he saw action on five special teams units in college. He’s an undersized, lean athlete with limited arm length. What he lacks in size, he makes up for with his athleticism. Mondon’s change of direction and sudden acceleration pop, even on a defense loaded with future NFL talent. He’s a true sideline-to-sideline linebacker with natural quickness and a loose frame. Unfortunately, he carries a significant injury history that could result in teams removing him from their draft boards. Small linebackers generally don’t get healthier after reaching the NFL. Mondon is a smart linebacker and defensive leader who diagnoses pre-snap action well. His patience and vision into the backfield reward him with some impressive stops in the run game. Mondon takes an extra half second to process run plays and doesn’t seem to have a natural compass for the ball when working downhill in a hurry. He sometimes collapses inward and surrenders the corner against RPOs. When he doesn’t overcommit, Mondon uses his speed to turn outside runs back into the muddy box. He wins footraces with blockers and running backs to the perimeter. Blockers struggle to pin him down in space because he quickly out-leverages them. Stacking and shedding blocks against linemen is almost impossible at Mondon’s size, but he drives himself into would-be blockers and uses a quick, powerful arm extension to bounce off the block. This momentary separation gives Mondon enough time to escape the blocker and redirect to the ball. He’s surprisingly willing to pop blockers and take full contact from linemen who outweigh him by 100 pounds. Despite his best efforts, the Georgia native sometimes finds himself being pancaked. He just lacks the size and mass to regularly thrive in the trenches or muddy boxes. Mondon’s speed and agility make him a tight end eraser in coverage. Running backs also fail to escape Mondon’s range. The senior’s vision and spacing in zone allow him to maximize his range and get the jump on some plays. He quickly sorts through route combinations to trigger on the quarterback’s target or connect and stay with his assignment. He should trust his athleticism more and leave a smaller cushion in off-man coverage. Mondon rarely misses tackles, which is rare for a player with his physical profile. His burst makes him a significant threat blitzing from the slot.
Overall, Mondon is a loose, speedy coverage linebacker with sideline-to-sideline range, but his struggles shedding blocks and injury history create some concerns about his ability to stick in the NFL. He should begin his career on special teams and as a subpackage defender before competing for a larger role.
Role & Scheme Fit: Weakside linebacker in a 4-3 scheme or subpackage overhang
Round Projection: Early Fourth Round
Size: 6'2 1/4", 224 lbs. (NFL Combine)
Submitted: 01-06-25
Updated: 04-12-25