Atlanta native Smoke Monday ready to hit in NFL

“I feel like I’m more of a box guy,” Monday said. “I like to hit people. I model my game after Jamal Adams, but my favorite safety of all time is Sean Taylor. I always try to model my game after him because he’s such a physical presence. When he’s on the field, everybody needs to know where he’s at. That’s how I feel I am.”

Monday lacks elite speed, but his 4.52 40-yard dash was a solid result. While most comfortable in the box, Monday has played the slot and covered deeper portions of the field, putting him in position for key plays. He had five college interceptions, returning three for touchdowns. His three pick sixes tied the school record.

Among those pick sixes was a key takeaway in Auburn’s wild 48-45 victory over Alabama in 2019 and a 100-yard interception return against Tennessee in 2020. Monday also added six sacks, 17 tackles for loss and a forced fumble in his Auburn career, displaying a propensity for making an impact wherever he aligned. His aggressive play style also resulted in multiple ejections because of targeting, including two against Georgia (2020, 2021) and one that ended his college career in the Birmingham Bowl in December.

And about that nickname, “Smoke.”

“I got it from my grandfather,” said Monday, whose given name is Quindarious. “Growing up, I was a granddad’s boy. I used to be with him a lot, run around the house a lot, so he just started calling me ‘Smoke.’ Once he passed, when I was about 12, I started using the name to honor him.”

Monday’s Atlanta roots helped turn him into a fierce player. He spoke glowingly of his coaches at Carver for showing him discipline and how to maximize his ability. He praised his family for keeping him focused on the mission of one day hearing his name called during the NFL draft.

“Coming from where I come from, I was raised in a tough environment where there were a lot of things that could distract me, but my parents did a great job keeping me from that life,” Monday said. “Seeing so much growing up, seeing mistakes my brothers and family members made, it was easier for me not to make those same mistakes. It helped mold me into the man I am today.”

Monday was a popular prospect at the NFL scouting combine. He met with a handful of teams, including speaking with former Falcons safety Ricardo Allen, who’s now an assistant coach with the Dolphins. His passion for football was constantly praised.

While Monday didn’t meet with the Falcons, he said he’d relish the chance to play at home.

“I always wanted to be a hometown hero,” he said. “To go back to my home city, that’d be wonderful for my family and all the kids back home who look up to me would love to see me home.”

The draft is impossible to predict, but Monday projects around the fourth-round range. He should immediately provide quality depth and special-teams assistance, but like nearly all players, his ceiling will be determined by where he goes.

Monday hopes teams take note of his fluidity and ball skills. He considers tackling his greatest strength and knows he must improve his coverage skills to receive consistent snaps at the next level. He likely never will be a coverage force, but there’s still a place for Monday in today’s NFL. He has the profile of someone who can carve out a nice career, one that should feature plenty of highlight hits on opposing skill players. Time, and situation, will tell if Monday becomes something more.