Welcome to another Georgia Bulldog going in the first round of the NFL draft. How in the world did he fall to the Eagles at No. 30? Nobody knows. This is ridiculous.
Nolan Smith is rumored to be replacing Ezra Miller as DC's The Flash because he is just that fast. He's not only speed however as his technique and toughness have been lauded by scouts throughout the draft process. It will be interesting to see if he can bulk up a bit to succeed as a three-down player in the NFL but speed kills in today's game and Smith has it in spades.
Position: EDGE
School: Georgia (Sr.)
Measurables: 6'2, 238 lbs
Combine notes: In the four combine events he participated in, he finished first in three of them among defensive ends (40-yard dash, 10-yard split, vertical jump)
Where he wins: Did we mention he was fast enough to stop a speeding bullet?
Areas for improvement: Needs to add some varying pass rush moves to his repertoire
A two-time national champion in college, Nolan tore his pectoral muscle in late October of last year which prematurely ended his senior season. He was ranked the number one prospect by 247Sports coming out of high school and in 2018 won the Anthony Muñoz Award.
The combine results were legendary. His 4.39 40-yard dash was the second fastest amongst defensive lineman in combine history.
His former IMG Academy teammates were once asked to describe Nolan in five words or less, the one's that kept popping up? Charismatic, joker, crazy, cocky and competitor.
He once, unironically, wore a red bow-tie
Nolan Smith would have fit into ANY defense. He's a top-tier athlete, explosive as hell, and you honestly could have made an argument for them to draft him with their first pick (No. 10, which they ended up trading to move up and acquire stud DT Jalen Carter). He's a flashy player, who hasn't necessarily lit up the stat sheet along the way, but his athleticism is unmatched, and feedback from team interviews was glowing.
The NFC East is going to be terrified to face this Philly defensive front, which already raned second in the league in pressure rate (25.5%) in the 2022 season. There's so much talent on this roster, so Smith, of course, slots in naturally (especially as a complementary piece, rather than a cornerstone). From pick value to culture fit, this is a win, win, win.
Grade: A++++++++++++++++++